Melanistic galah

Post Reply
User avatar
Kdawg
...............................
...............................
Posts: 29
Joined: 31 Jan 2019, 19:28
Location: Clayton South Victoria

20200609_215825.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Shane Gowland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posts: 1430
Joined: 19 May 2014, 22:42
Location: Adelaide
Contact:

Saw the news article on this; it's a neat looking bird. Could easily be confused for an entirely different species.
User avatar
Rod_L
...............................
...............................
Posts: 495
Joined: 05 Mar 2018, 15:30
Location: Mandurah WA

Is that legit or did someone cover their pet bird in charcoal?

It has black around the eyes and on the beak. Maybe it was playing in the burnt bush.
death to all cats & ants
User avatar
arthur
...............................
...............................
Posts: 1995
Joined: 13 Mar 2009, 10:22

Saw a similar . . perhaps same . . in a flock situation

None of the others had any discoloration, which would tend to indicate mutant

Don't know if it is legal to trap Galahs as 'pest fauna' in S.A, but would be worth a punt if it is OK

The parrot guys would pay a motza if it is a genuine mutation . .
User avatar
Rod_L
...............................
...............................
Posts: 495
Joined: 05 Mar 2018, 15:30
Location: Mandurah WA

I don't know if it's legal to trap them but I do know you can shoot them if they are on your property destroying crops. And thousands are killed every year by councils because they are considered a pest species.

I personally think it's a waste letting councils and farmers kill them. It would make more sense to let farmers trap them, hold them in quarantine for a few months and then sell them overseas to licensed dealers. The Farmers would get some added and much needed income, birds wouldn't be killed, and smugglers wouldn't continue doing what they do, at least not with this species.
death to all cats & ants
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

That is one different looking Galah. And what Rod says about trapping makes sence to me.
LML
LML
User avatar
noah.till
...............................
...............................
Posts: 2214
Joined: 14 Nov 2018, 20:47
Location: TOOWOOMBA/ HIGHFIELDS, QLD

It is a legitimate mutation, researchers have been following around the bird for quite a while now
Downs Bird Breeders Association and Queensland Finch Society Member
2018 Australian Birdkeepers Magazine Young Birdkeeper
Javan Munia, Black Rumped Double bar and Aberdeen Breeding Project
User avatar
Rod_L
...............................
...............................
Posts: 495
Joined: 05 Mar 2018, 15:30
Location: Mandurah WA

It still doesn't look legit. Black around the eyes. Black on the beak, which is really unusual. And the pink feathers have a dirty black tinge to them. In addition to this, most birds don't turn black from mutations, they tend to go lighter.

Has it paired up with another bird yet?
Maybe the researchers could trap it and breed it in captivity.
death to all cats & ants
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Extract from the article - Credited to the ABC - The full Photograph shows the bird with its flockmates.

A rare sighting of a galah with a genetic mutation has been snapped by photographer Hoss Bolenski in Port Lincoln, South Australia.
Key points:

A rare black galah was snapped by a photographer in Port Lincoln
Genetic mutations called melanism, causes the bird's feathers to be black
Melanism may serve as a survival advantage for the black galah

The galah, which is usually grey and pink in colour, was seen at North Point Reserve covered in black feathers with a tinge of pink on its underbelly.

Bird Life Australia coordinator and science writer, Tanya Loos, said the unique colouring is due to a mutation called melanism, which causes an increased development of a dark-coloured pigment.

LML
LML
User avatar
collector_and_buyer
...............................
...............................
Posts: 287
Joined: 07 Jun 2012, 22:21
Location: young

Doesn't look right to me either.Very suspect on this one.
Post Reply

Return to “Parrots”