Parrotlet Color Mutations

Parrotlets are sweet, feisty little birds with a love for life. These little guys come in a range of colors. Hopefully after reading this you will have a better idea of these mutations and will appreciate them.

Blue
The blue mutation is one of the more popular and common color. As the name implies, these parrotlets are an attractive light blue. Sometimes referred to as ‘Mountain Blues’, these little guys are easy to find and beautiful.

Dilute Blue
These parrotlets are less common and are commonly mistaken for white parrotlets. They are mostly white; however, they have a tiny hint of extremely pale blue around their eyes, which you can use to differentiate between the two types. They are less common, so you may need to go to a breeder to get one.

White
As the name implies, these parrotlets are pure white. They are much like the Dilutes – but without the blue. They are uncommon, but can be found in some breeders’ aviaries. Males, when placed under ultraviolet light, have blue edges on their wings.

Albino
Albino parrotlets are almost exactly the same as the White, but they have red eyes due to lack of pigmentation. These parrotlets are semi-rare so you may need to do some searching for them.
Their wings do not turn blue under ultraviolet light.

American Yellow
These parrotlets are some of the few colors to be developed in the Americas and not in Europe. A bright yellow, they have black eyes. There is a variation of these with red eyes referred to as Lutinos. Both of these are somewhat uncommon.

Dilute
Dilute is a darker version of the normal green found on parrotlets. It has a gray hue and is actually a very attractive color on them. It is extremely rare and only found on Green-Rumped parrotlets.

Fallow
Fallow is a beautiful color mutation. These birds look much like normal parrotlets but with a yellow face and red eyes. These are extremely rare, and you may not be able to currently obtain one.

Dark Factor
Dark Factor parrotlets are the newest color mutation. These birds are a brown-green color with black flight feathers. Since these have just been discovered, they are still very rare and hard to find.

European Yellows
These birds are the cousin of the American Yellows, but look different – having spots of greenish feathering, not ha consistent yellow like the Americans. These are hard to find without a little searching.

Hopefully this article has cleared up your understanding of parrotlet colors. If you would like one, contact a breeder. Mutations are not commonly found at rescues or shelters.

Article contributed by: Eliza Kuklinski.

Parrotlet or Parakeet- What Is the Difference?

When you go to buy your first parrot at the pet store, you notice the tags on the cages: Parrotlet. Parakeet. You wrinkle your brow. Huh? They look similar to each other. What is the difference? A more experienced aviculturist will know immediately that you are dealing with two very different birds.

Parrotlets

Parrotlets are small, feisty birds. The ways they differ from parakeets can actually be quite obvious, if you look. For example, by general rule, parrotlets have short tails – while parakeets (also called budgies) lave long ones. Second, they have larger beaks (compared to body size) and they are usually a lighter color than a budgie. They also do not have the stripes that budgies do along their feathers. Parrotlets have a very large appetite, sometimes eating as much as a cockatiel daily.

Parakeets

Parakeets are the quieter, more calm of the two parrots, but that isn’t all. They also have different colored ceres (nostrils) from parrotlets. Females usually have a slightly deeper pink than parrotlets, or a light gray, and the males have a bright blue cere. While the two are both ground foragers, they forage in two different places. Budgies, or parakeets, live in Australia, whereas parrotlets usually live in South America. Parakeets can also be kept in flocks; however, parrotlets are not great aviary birds and tend to fight with cagemates. Parakeets are also much more common as they have been bred for a much longer period of time. Also, they are cheaper – Parrotlets can cost hundreds of dollars, while parakeets can be found at pet stores costing around twenty five dollars.

While these parrots may be similar, hopefully you have picked up some tips on telling them apart. Remember, both of these species can be found at local pet stores, so if you are interested in a bird, they are worth considering.

Article contributed by: Eliza Kuklinski.

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