Rare Markings?

[Fay123]

Hiya everyone, im very curious to my Greys markings. He is only 16 weeks old & the breeder said he had never seen these sort of markings before either that or they are just uncommon? i also have never seen this on an african grey and would like to find out more. Thanks. Fay

[Jayd]

Not uncommon, can be generic or because of medical conditions. Some times "Molt's out"......

[DogsBirdsFish]

My Grey has a few random red feathers; however, your Grey has a nice pattern.

 

It looks like breeders have been hard at work producing red Greys.

 

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=red+african+grey&mid=45B0B3162ABFF8F7BD2C45B0B3162ABFF8F7BD2C&view=detail&FORM=VIRE2

Edited May 14, 2013 by DogsBirdsFish

[ranaz]

This is called red factor, it can be genetic or a disorder. It might go away after the molt. Its something very cute actually and some greys have it on a much larger scale like this photo (genetic alteration):

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_LhI5q-Fl9rE/SgCfN5xo-NI/AAAAAAAAADk/W3SceO2K70g/s320/red_20stripe_20best%5B1%5D.jpg

or this

http://www.freeadgo.com/usa/images/listings/bigThmb/2012/11/28/2_all_red_red_factor_african_grey_young_female.jpg

[Jayd]

Greetings! Maybe I can bring some clarification to a red-factor Grey...A red-factor Grey occurs naturally in the wild and usually appears as a red band below their breast. Captive birds can show red feathers as these photos show which can be hereditary or by feather/blood disease. As I stated earlier, a lot of times, these markings will disappear after a molt or two. Now, a solid red Grey does not occur in the wild. They are human bred by taking Greys with large quantities and quality of red color, breeding them together and then breeding and re-breeding until a solid red CAG is born. Due to this breeding process, at this point in time, we don't know how much physical/mental damage and the effects on longevity and health issues can be caused by this. The whole purpose of genetically altering these birds is for the breeder to make money and the only people that can afford them are quite well off. We are personally against this practice. Thank you, Jayd and Maggie

[murfchck]

I have sen many with the red factor. The last one i found a home for had a beautiful red necklace. My Bongo also has a single red feather on his wing every once and a while. I have seen it twice in a year and a half. I don't agree with breeders altering a grey but it is beautiful when its natural.

[Timbersmom]

Timber has one red feather on his neck. At my first sight of him I thought it was blood. What a relief that it is just what I call his "birthmark."

[judygram]

I too hate when breeders alter the coloring by selective breeding, who knows what kind of genetic abnormalities this creates.

[Acappella]

Beautiful! Dorian has a bit of red factor in the same pattern, only much lighter. Your baby may molt out these bright red feathers and replace them with ones with just a hint of red. Just makes your baby easier to spot in a crowd!

[Wingy]

My TAG has red polka dots under his wings, the red tinged feathers on his legs that make it look like he is wearing pants, red tipped feathers on his rump and red streaks in his tail feathers. He is in the process of his first molt and in some areas the red has lessened and some has not. The vet says he is healthy and that this is genetic. According to her his red may come and go or change in intensity with each molt.

[Fay123]

Thanks for all your replys everyone, the breeder I got him from had never seen this before so I doubt he was breeding for the "red factor" he was just simply born with it. Thanks all

Fay x

[JeffNOK]

They are beautiful markings. I hope they stay. If not--grey and white are a great color combination as well. Welcome to the forum.

[Sassy]

Neytiri also had the red on her belly and legs. She's a little over a year and its currently molting out. She also had red under her wings, up her back (racing stripes), and in her flight feathers. I hope she keeps some of the red.

[Ray P]

Enjoy the extra red feathers on your grey as they may leave.

[blewuk]

Hi guys..., its interesting as I just got a call from the breeder asking double price for a baby with some red markings on the back and shoulder. Nice pattern!

Will those feather definitely molt out, in that case so it's not worth the price? Any sign to look for to make sure the red will stay?

Thanks for the hints!

[danmcq]

It is really a 50/50 chance they may molt out and be replaced with normal gray feathers. I personally would not pay a penny more for a grey baby just because it has red feathering in spots.

[blewuk]

Hi Danmcg, thanks for the words. Indeed those red feathers are spots but it form a very nice pattern. So if the bird spread the wings and we see from top, we can see distinct red lines. It's a 50-50 chance? Now I'm confused...! I have a baby grey already and the only reason for me to have another grey is maybe if I can find a more "colorful" grey...

[judygram]

I would never pay double for a grey with red feathers and no one should, they may not stay for they may be gone by the next molt but the over pricing only encourages this fad to have something out of the ordinary as in there are some that have been bred to be all red but who knows how that affects their overall health, not for me. If my grey would have a few red feathers other than her tail then that is fine but I like their beauty as they are.

[danmcq]

Hi Danmcg, thanks for the words. Indeed those red feathers are spots but it form a very nice pattern. So if the bird spread the wings and we see from top, we can see distinct red lines. It's a 50-50 chance? Now I'm confused...! I have a baby grey already and the only reason for me to have another grey is maybe if I can find a more "colorful" grey...

 

Yes, those pretty red feathers could molt out and be replaced with grey. My grey had a few red feathers as well. On the first molt, they all came back as grey. If you wish to pay more and want a guarantee the red feathers are permanent, you would need to find a grey over a year old that has already experience it's first molt and the red feathers remained. One exception to this, would be if you purchase from a grey breeder that breeders generations of red factor greys to bring out more and more of the red factor. In that case, they would most likely not molt out at all.

Edited June 1, 2013 by danmcq

[Wingy]

Dan, Jakes vet said that because his red is genetic that it can molt in or out in any given year. So even after the first molt any of his remaining red feathers could still turn and that those which turned grey could go back to red. She also said that we would have to watch since the red can signal medical issues that we don't ever just assume that the red is genetic. Have you have any knowledge on color changes in subsequent molts? I tried researching it but there isn't much out there especially on TAGS.

[danmcq]

Hi Wingy. Your avian vet of course is right on. This is a question avian vet's and scientists have been working and on trying to learn more about. What is known at this time, is that the red colored feathers are pigmented with red psittacofulvin. The pigment is not carotenod nor is it a red form of melanin.

 

This is very interesting as psittacofulvin pigment is not a protein based pigment, but is made from long-chain fatty acids. Melanin is deposited into feathers via a structure within a cell called a melanosome. Melanosomes make granules of melanin pigment and then deposit it via dendritic “hose” like structures as the feather forms. Psittacofulvins are not deposited by structures such as these, so not only is the pigment made from a completely different material, but is placed in the feather by a completely different method.

 

African Greys normally express red psittacofulvin in the coloration of their tail feathers, and to a small degree in contour feathers, especially near the vent. It is thought something must be signaling the feather follicles to make psittacofulvin in different feathers from the normal pattern, but what that is they do not know.There are some clues that may help in learning what in those signals could be.

 

In talking to Grey owners with birds displaying the unusual red coloration, I have found based on those discussions, that it often occurs in juvenile birds, and in older birds. The juvenile birds often lose the red color over a molt or two/upon becoming adult. It may be that hormones connected to adolescence and maturity could have an important role in signaling where the psittacofulvins are deposited or not deposited, but we do not know. It should be noted that there are African Greys who retain their red feathers as adults, and sometimes there are a lot of these red feathers. Some of these birds are healthy, successful breeding birds in very experienced hands, so at least some of this coloration does not appear to indicate an adverse affect on health, fertility or chick rearing. Basically at this time it is not known why the red feathers are there.

 

Scientists have also looked to see if the melanin could be masking the red psittacofulvin. In other words, they checked to see if maybe dark pigment was present in sufficient quantity to cover up what would be red feathers if the melanin was not there. African Grey feathers can have a lavender or pinkish cast to them. So it seems possible that this might be happening. But so far, that does not appear to be the case. They do need to test more feathers, as so far the samples have been small and may not reflect possible masking that might be seen in samples that include more individuals showing this “pinkish cast” to the grey.

 

Yes, there are some illnesses that can affect feather pigmentation, including PBFD. Poor diet could also affect pigmentation, if there are not sufficient amino acids to make melanin or to properly form the structure and layers of the feather itself that the pigment is deposited into. A fatty diet appears to also affect feather coloration. Of course, one would wish to check with one’s avian veterinarian to test for and rule out illnesses or medical problems.

[blewuk]

Hi all..., finally I bought my second Grey, this one with red markings, same pattern on both wings and shoulders.

Here is the link to the picture.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/42wvn2y53c0w6h6/20130610_075906.jpg

 

Do you think the red stays?

The Redgie has been with me for two weeks.

 

Anybody he with experience to have this kind of color in a baby?

I want to know if the reds stay?

 

Thanks

[blewuk]

Here is another picture showing the wings and pattern:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ypk1en879xcj3du/20130610_075754.jpg

[Corine]

He has a lot of red feathers should I be worried?? I thought it was just because he was a baby!! Now I've red that he could be sick??? He seems very alert and loveable!!

[murfchck]

I have one with alot of red also, atleast there is a lot of red before she pulls them out! lol They call it red factor, and it is more and more common now a day. As far as i know, that is just a wives tale of red meaning sick. Coaty is perfectly healthy.