[CaitlynB13]

Been trying to figure out what you would call the colour of my cockatiel, and the sex based off that (I'm calling her a girl, for now.)
She is around 9 months old, has red eyes, and at first glance looks 100% white. Upon a closer look, there's definitely what looks like cinnamon pearling there, which has gotten slightly darker since I got her at 2 months old. Her longest wing feathers are also light cinnamon. I know this would usually indicate that she's a girl since the pearling hasn't molted out, but I suppose the only thing I'm wondering about is why it's so faint, and what you'd label her mutation. It's preventing me from confidently being able to visually sex her, very frustrating.
If anyone could help me out that'd be great! ^.^

 

[roxy culver]

Pictures would help us help you. Without them we really can't tell you her mutation. Red eyes could mean she's lutino, fallow, or recessive silver. The pearling means she's a pearl BUT if she's a pearl pied (the pearling is only on her wings) then she would be almost impossible to visually sex based on that alone. Do you know what mutations her parents were? That would help as well.

 

[CaitlynB13]

I don't know what her parents were, she was a gift so I didn't personally talk to the breeder, but apparently he said he had only ever seen one like her once before, so the parents didn't look like her obviously, not that that helps much. Yeah I thought posting some pictures might help haha, it's even more difficult to see the colour in pictures than it is looking at the real thing, but here:

This one is when I first got her, and nothing was really visible at all, just white.

Good shot of her red eyes...
http://s192.photobucket.com/user/zoster94/media/Petrie/DSCF4478.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

This is when I first started to notice that she had a faint cinnamon, the contrast is adjusted in the photo in order to be able to see it better.
http://s192.photobucket.com/user/zoster94/media/Petrie/DSCF4517.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

And this one's current.
http://s192.photobucket.com/user/zoster94/media/Petrie/DSCF5519.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2

As I said, the camera doesn't pick it up very well, but I think you can see what I'm referring to, thanks so much for your help!

 

[Vickitiel]

I have no idea, but she's really beautiful! :blush:

 

[CaitlynB13]

Awh thankyou, I think so too! She's such a dork. Probably my favourite tiel I've ever had.

 

[Kellianne]

Oh wow, that's a lovely Tiel - I really love her subtle markings.

My only guess would be a whiteface fallow pearl? The whiteface subtracting any yellow, fallow giving the pale markings and red eyes, pearl being the exact pattern? I'm no color expert, of course - so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will drop in and give you a more definite answer!

 

[CaitlynB13]

Oh thankyou They're the lines I was thinking along, the mutations get so complex!

 

[ollieandme]

hm strange colouring! she's beautiful though!! i'd also go for a whiteface fallow pearl..

 

[ollieandme]

how old is she?

 

[roxy culver]

I agree with wf fallow pearl.

 

[CaitlynB13]

Yeah I reckon that's probably my best bet, thanks everyone!
She's roughly 9 months old, she's had her first molt.

 

[Vickitiel]

That's awesome that you know her mutation now. It's really unique, not something I've ever seen before!

 

[CaitlynB13]

Yeah thankyou everyone for your help! I've never seen one like her either, she's beautiful. And now I can pretty confidently say she's a little girl if everyone agrees that it does look like she's got pearling there ^.^

 

[roxy culver]

Yep I'd go with female as well. Since she's already gone through her first molt and still has those pearls, that's a female. And a gorgeous one to boot!

 

[Haimovfids]

Whiteface fallow pearl

She is one beauty, lucky you!