White-headed yellow-back Gouldian - what is it?

An area to discuss new and established colour mutations.
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Finchy
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I'm curious about some birds I have seen that look like European Yellows (Pastel), but they have white heads. What causes this?
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finchbreeder
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Without seeing them am guessing. But probably Black heads, the gene that dilutes the green to yellow also dilutes the black to white.
LML
LML
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Finchy
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Thanks. I thought it might be that - just I have seen light grey heads before but never quite so white as the ones I'm looking at, so wondered if there might be an extra factor involved somehow.
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Craig52
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I think you will find they are black headed Australian yellows not Euro yellows. Euro yellow black heads are either grey, ash grey or even a blue grey colour. Double factors can get nearly white but not snow white heads like AY's . Craig
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Finchy
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I thought so for a moment, but they have purple chests.
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garyh
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I bred euro yellows for years and double factor cocks had very white heads,these where very well coloured birds not pastel coloured,vivid yellow,garyh
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Mr Tino
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My understanding in euro yellow DF white head,white head follow through into the chest and the rest of the body is canary yellow and in the purple breast the head is a soft grey and under the bib it is white,that the way I distinguished breeding stock in my days when I bred them.
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hanabi
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Yes garyh, and Euro yellow hens can also have quite white heads. This hen may even be genetically a red head although it is possible her parents are split to black:

Image

Image

From:
http://www.ohmifinch.com/DB/ItemDetail.asp?item=46061

And one of her silver siblings (slight hint of a salmon hue):

Image

From:
http://www.ohmifinch.com/DB/ItemDetail.asp?item=46241
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Craig52
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I agree with you all but Finchy said white head, completely white head down to the shoulders of which i have seen in black headed Australian Yellows. I could be be wrong on what finchy is talking about though. Cheers Craig
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Tiaris
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Purple chest rules out AY.
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