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Color Genetics
The basic principles of the inheritance of traits.
                         
 

Some colors in bird feathers are under the control of a single gene. This gene can be of wild type only or have one or more recessive mutant variants which are usually yield to dominant wild type gene in expression. Other colors can be the polygenic by nature that means several genes take part in their inheritance.
Each cell of every bird contains a duplicate set of genes: one set of genes is obtained from the mother, the other one comes from the father. When the genes in this duplicate set are different, dominant wild type color will mask a recessive color. The dominant gene will always be expressed while the related recessive form of this gene will be expressed only if the organism has both genes in recessive variant. That is true for all genes located on autosomes, chromosomes that are similar in both males and females. But if the gene is located on sex-chromosomes Z or W, its inheritance will be significantly differs from common rule. The reason is that Z chromosomal genes have their counterparts only in male’s (ZZ), but not in female’s (ZW) set of sex chromosomes; and genes of W chromosome usually do not have their counterparts on Z chromosome at all.
Most color mutations can be classified in one of two categories: recessive autosomal or sex-linked. When a new mutation occurs, only the breeding data can determine in which category the case is.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                         
                         
 

Fawn plumage coloration of Shafttail Finches is a sex-linked trait marked as Zfw. In such case, male has to have combination of two mutant genes of this variant (ZfwZfw) to be expressed as fawn, while a single copy of the mutant gene in female (ZfwW) will always detectable in her fawn coloration. At the same time male of visual wild type can carry hidden mutant gene, as the counterpart gene of wild type (Z+) in his genotype ZfwZ+ is expressed dominantly. Four combinations possible in the breeding are shown in Tables 1-4. If a male is carrying the sex-linked mutation ZfwZ+ and female  is normal Z+W, we will obtain in offspring only mutant females ZfwW; the other birds will be normal males Z+Z+ or split to fawn ZfwZ+ and normal females Z+W, Table 1. With a male ZfwZ+ carrying sex-linked mutation and a mutant female ZfwW, we will obtain both: fawn males ZfwZfw and fawn females ZfwW, and also normal males ZfwZ+ who carry the mutation, as well as normal females Z+W, Table 2. If the parent male is a fawn ZfwZfw and the parent female is a normal Z+W, all offspring males will be the normal split to fawn ZfwZ+, and all offspring females will be fawn ZfwW, Table 3. With a mutant male ZfwZfw and a female of the same mutation ZfwW we will obtain 100% mutant offspring of ZfwZfw, and ZfwW, Table 4.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                         
  In these tables the male's genetic contribution (gametes) down the left side and the female's across the top.      
  Table 1           Table 2          
  ♀   Z+ W              ×            ♂    Zfw Z+   ♀   Zfw W      ×               Zfw Z+  
            female  Normal         ↓ male  Normal         female  Fawn         ↓ male  Normal  
  Gametes Z+ Z+ W W   Gametes Zfw Zfw W W  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw W     Fawn Zfw W     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
  Z+ Z+ Z+   Normal Z+ Z+     Normal Z+ W    Normal Z+ W     Normal   Z+   Z+ Zfw    Normal Z+ Zfw    Normal   Z+ W     Normal   Z+ W     Normal  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw W     Fawn Zfw W     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
  Z+ Z+  Z+     Normal Z+  Z+     Normal Z+ W     Normal Z+ W     Normal   Z+  Z+ Zfw    Normal Z+ Zfw    Normal   Z+ W     Normal   Z+ W     Normal  
     
    Males: Females:     Males: Females:  
    100% normal 50% normal     50% normal 50% normal  
      50% fawn     50% fawn 50% fawn  
        These percentages refer only to hypothetical indications. The results of real pairings can be very different from these percentages by probability theory, but the result of an infinite number of pairings will.
 
 
         
  Table 3           Table 4          
    ♀  Z+ W                ×          ♂    Zfw  Zfw   ♀   Zfw W          ×               Zfw Zfw  
            female  Normal         ↓ male  Fawn         female  Fawn        ↓ male  Fawn  
  Gametes Z+ Z+ W W   Gametes Zfw Zfw W W  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw W     Fawn Zfw     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw    Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw     Fawn Zfw W     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw W     Fawn Zfw     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
  Zfw Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw Z+      Normal Zfw    Fawn Zfw W     Fawn   Zfw Zfw Zfw  Fawn Zfw Zfw  Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn     Zfw W     Fawn  
     
    Males: Females:     Males: Females:  
    100% normal 100 % fawn     100% fawn 100% fawn  
                         
                         
                         
 

Creamino plumage coloration, as well as a fawn, is sex-linked recessive trait. Birds that have this coloration carry ino mutation in a Z sex-chromosome that is usually referred to as “cream-ino". This mutation will visually appear in females because no counterpart gene is present to suppress it. Normal shafttail males Z+Zino are described as being split to ino, a.k.a. split to creamino. Again, if a male Z+Zino is in pair with the normal female, we will obtain only female mutants ZinoW; the other birds will be normal males Z+Z+ and normal females Z+W or normal males split to creamino Z+Zino, Table 5. With a male split to ino mutation ZinoZ+ and a creamino female ZinoW we will obtain creamino males ZinoZino and creamino females ZinoW, and also normal males carrying mutation ZinoZ+, and normal females Z+W, Table 6. With a creamino parent male ZinoZino and a normal parent female Z+W, all offspring males will be normal split to creamino ZinoZ+, and all offspring females will be creamino ZinoW, Table 7. With a creamino male ZinoZino and the same mutant female ZinoW, we will obtain 100% creamino offspring Table 8.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
                         
  In these tables the male's genetic contribution (gametes) down the left side and the female's across the top.      
  Table 5           Table 6          
  ♀   Z+ W               ×             ♂    Zino Z+   ♀   Zino W         ×                 Zino Z+  
            female  Normal         ↓ male  Normal         female  Creamino         ↓    male  Normal  
  Gametes Z+ Z+ W W   Gametes Zino Zino W W  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
  Z+ Z+ Z+   Normal Z+ Z+     Normal Z+ W    Normal Z+ W     Normal   Z+   Z+ Zino    Normal Z+ Zino    Normal Z+ W     Normal Z+ W     Normal  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino     Creamino   Zino     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
  Z+ Z+  Z+     Normal Z+  Z+     Normal Z+ W     Normal Z+ W     Normal   Z+  Z+ Zino    Normal Z+ Zino    Normal Z+ W     Normal Z+ W     Normal  
     
    Males: Females:     Males: Females:  
    100% normal 50% normal     50% normal 50% normal  
      50% creamino     50% creamino 50% creamino  
       

These percentages refer only to hypothetical indications. The results of real pairings can be very different from these percentages by probability theory, but the result of an infinite number of pairings will.

 
         
                         
  Table 7           Table 8          
  ♀   Z+ W                     ×             ♂    Zino Zino   ♀   Zino W               ×             ♂   Zino Zino  
            female  Normal         ↓ male  Creamino         female  Creamino         ↓    male  Creamino  
  Gametes Z+ Z+ W W   Gametes Zino Zino W W  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
  Zino Zino Z+      Normal Zino Z+      Normal    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino   Zino Zino Zino Creamino Zino Zino Creamino    Zino W     Creamino   Zino W     Creamino  
     
    Males: Females:     Males: Females:  
    100% normal 100% creamino     100% creamino 100% creamino  
                         
                         
                         
 

Isabelle plumage color mutation of Shafttail Finches is a recessive autosomal, non-sex-linked, hereditary characteristic referred as Aib. Such a characteristic is inherited by gene pairs. Each bird has two copies of every gene on autosomal chromosomes, one from each parent. If an autosomal genetic trait is recessive, a bird needs to inherit two copies of the gene for the trait to be visible, AibAib. If both parents are carriers, split to isabelle AibA+, there is a 25% chance with each chick to show the recessive trait AibAib, Table 9. If one parent is isabelle mutant AibAib, the second normal parent obviously doesn’t carry mutation and identified as AA, and all offspring are normal AA or AibA+, Table 10. If one of parents (in this case it doesn't matter male or female) is isabelle AibAib and the second one is normal split to isabelle AibA+, 50% of offspring will be isabelle AibAib, and the other 50% will be normal with a hidden isabelle mutation AibA+, Table 11. With both parents being mutants, we will obtain 100% of the offspring being isabelle birds, AibAib, Table 12.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

In these tables the first parent's genetic contribution (gametes) across the top and the second parent's down the left side.

   
  Table 9           Table 10        
      ♀   Aib A+         ×                Aib A+        ♀   A+ A+           ×            ♂   Aib Aib  
      first parent  Normal        ↓ second parent  Normal       first parent  Normal        ↓ second parent Isabelle  
  Gametes Aib A+  Aib A+    Gametes A+  A+  A+  A+   
     
  Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      AibA+   Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      AibA+   Normal   Aib AibA+  Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal  
     
  A+  A+ Aib  Normal A+ A  Normal A+ Aib  Normal A+ A+  Normal   Aib AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal  
     
  Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal   Aib AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal  
     
  A+  A+ Aib  Normal A+ A+  Normal A+ Aib  Normal A+ A+  Normal   Aib AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal AibA+ Normal  
     
    Offspring:  75%  normal,  25%  isabelle     Offspring:  100%  normal  
         
    These percentages refer only to hypothetical indications. The results of real pairings can be very different from these percentages by probability theory, but the result of an infinite number of pairings will.              
                 
                 
                         
  Table 11         Table 12        
  ♀   Aib A+            ×            ♂   AibAib   ♀   Aib Aib        ×            ♂   AibAib  
      first parent  Normal        ↓ second parent Isabelle       first parent Isabelle        ↓ second parent Isabelle  
  Gametes Aib A+  Aib A+    Gametes Aib Aib Aib Aib  
     
  Aib Aib Aib  Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal   Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle       
     
  Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal   Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle       
     
  Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal   Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle       
     
  Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib A+ Normal   Aib Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle      Aib Aib Isabelle       
     
    Offspring:  50%  normal, 50% isabelle     Offspring:  100%  isabelle  
         
    These percentages refer only to hypothetical indications. The results of real pairings can be very different from these percentages by probability theory, but the result of an infinite number of pairings will.              
                 
                 
                         
                         
 

Albino  Shafttail Finches, I believe, are the result of combining two recessive genes: sex-linked ino, Zino, and autosomal recesive isabelle, Aib. It means to get albino offspring both parents need to be carrying at least one copy of the ino and isabelle genes.                                                                                                                                                                                                               If both parents carry an isabelle gene (Aib) and only one parent carry ino gene (Zino) some of their females offspring will be albino, Table 13.                                                                                                                                                                                         If both parents carry an isabelle gene (Aib) and ino gene (Zino) some females and some males offspring will have albino coloration, Table 14.                                                                                                                                                                                                  Because albinism of shafttail finches require the coincidence of two different mutations, which makes a combined event of low probability, albino shafttails are extremly rare in aviculture.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  In these tables the male's genetic contribution (gametes) down the left side and the female's across the top.      
  Table 13         Table 14        
       ♀   Aib A+ Z+ W        ×             Aib A+ Zino Z+        ♀   Aib A+ Zino W        ×             Aib A+ Zino Z+  
      female  Normal        ↓ male  Normal       female  Creamino      ↓ male  Normal  
  Gametes A+ Z+ Aib Z+   A+ W Aib W   Gametes A+ Zino Aib Zino   A+ W Aib W  
     
  A+ Zino A+A+ZinoZ+   Normal      A+AibZinoZ+   Normal     A+A+ZinoW Creamino     A+AibZinoW   Creamino   A+ Zino A+A+ZinoZino  Creamino      A+AibZinoZino Creamino     A+A+ZinoW Creamino     A+AibZinoW   Creamino  
     
  Aib Zino  A+AibZinoZ+  Normal         AibAibZinoZ+   Isabelle A+AibZinoW   Creamino AibAibZinoW   Albino   Aib Zino  A+AibZinoZino Creamino        AibAibZinoZino   Albino A+AibZinoW   Creamino AibAibZinoW   Albino  
     
  A+ Z+ A+A+ Z+Z+   Normal      A+Aib Z+Z+   Normal     A+A+ Z+W   Normal