Aussie Finch Forum

Good pictures there, thanks for sharing them. If both parents were Red (Ginger) then they must have been split for Dilute as with Finchman's Pastel. The middle picture is presenting as a Clearwing, with fairly solid colour on the head, breast and tail but cream/white on the body, belly and wings. My theory is that our Australian Pastel is in some way related to this clearwing mutation. From what I understand, the dilute factor in the Gingers can present in two ways, One as this way or Secondly in an all over dilute or creamier looking bird. I have an old UK Bengalese book from 1976 and at that stage the Dilute Mutation was quite new over there and they believed that it was a Sex Linked Mutation but I think now days it is commonly referred to as a recessive (to all darker) colour.

Cheers

One of the members of the Australian Bengalese Breeders Society (ABBS) has been able to acquire a nice group of Australian Pastels. Its good for us because the mutation can now be developed more. I will hopefully be acquiring some of these.

I was of the opinion that old man Hackey departed to the big aviary in the sky.
If he is still alive he must be a grand age.I was getting birds off him and Turner in the very very early 70's which is 40 years ago and he was oldish then.
From memory he had 2 sons who took over.Those times were Adelaides golden years of bird breeding,the amount of birds freighted out on the Tuesday morning was staggering.
Sorry didn't mean to hijack the post.

No problem there.
He is certainly an iconic figure. I have spoken to him in the last 6 months, and as said before I believe he is not running things formally but definitely "overseeing" the business.

Cheers

E Orix wrote:I was of the opinion that old man Hackey departed to the big aviary in the sky.
If he is still alive he must be a grand age.I was getting birds off him and Turner in the very very early 70's which is 40 years ago and he was oldish then.
From memory he had 2 sons who took over.Those times were Adelaides golden years of bird breeding,the amount of birds freighted out on the Tuesday morning was staggering.
Sorry didn't mean to hijack the post.

I was in shock to walk into Hakendorfs in mid 2010 and see him still there. He looked the same as when i was a kid and he looked old then. I know Emblem aviaries is now run by the son and i think Hackeys is the same.

Great looking birds ,Aussie Bengo

Nice looking Bengos. Hope you and the supplier both have lots of breeding success.
LML

Managed to breed four dilute now ,two of them are crested.Will post a photo soon

Very Attractive Looking Dilute

Have just put my pastel hen in with a chestnut pied cock last week. Fingers crossed. Decided I should be good and not put the 2 pastels together again as they are brother and sister. Their parents were visually normal ginger pieds so it is possibly not sex linked.
LML