Aussie Finch Forum

Was sent more pictures of the zebra fledglings the high school biology class is raising for me.

Dad is NG/CFW. Mom is NG. No more history than that on either parent.

From left, upper: Mom, CFW chick (female), NG chick, NG chick, lower: NG Pied chick


In the center is the CFW chick, next to her is one of the light silvery grey/white chicks, then down below the top chick is the NG Pied, and the lower one another of the light silvery grey/white chicks. It's the light silvery grey chicks I have questions on, what are they? Are they just dark CFW's who will lighten up, or what? And what's with the white cheeks?


the pied chick appears to have no tail stripes (there's been no evidence of anyone plucking anyone else, no feathers found or plucking seen)


The two silvery grey and white chicks, with NG pied off to the left

To me they look like both parents are carrying recessive dilute. But I am not an expert, just a Zeb lover.
LML

What about penguin? Could they be penguin babies, maybe with something diluting as well?
Whatever it is, it has to be recessive, because neither parent looked anything but NG

No Penguins in Australia. They will be MW or CFW.

Both will be Hens.

Winci is in the USA. Whould that make a difference?
LML

Yes, I am in the USA, and we do have some different mutations here, just like you have some that we don't have.
Penguin is a possibility here.

If both parents are NG, with no sign of pied, how could offspring have that much white pied markings? And in such a regular pattern?

The strange thing with pied is low pied can produce high pied. I have had 2 zebs with nothing more than 1 white feather on one, and one white toe on the other, produce heavy pied offspring. So that part is nothing unusual. Regular pattern is just jolly good luck.
LML

Okay, had not seen that, had only seen pied increasing rationally.

I do hope they keep their current coloring, it's so pretty. But, I guess, time will tell.

Yeah I would think Penguins in the US.