Pacific parrotlets have lots of different colors, and breeders are discovering more and more color mutations every year!

 

What are color mutations?

Color mutations in parrotlets are when a parrotlet has an unnatural color that is very rare in the wild or is not seen in the wild at all. Leaf green colored parrotlets is the only color that is not a mutation color. There are other shades of green, but the leaf green is the natural and most common color in the wild. Mutations can be many different colors. There are Fallow parrotlets (which have red eyes), Pied parrotlets (which have a splotchy combination of colors), to yellow, blue, or white and all the colors in between! There are over 100 different color mutations and more colors are being created by parrotlet breeders every year! The most common color mutation is the blue mutation. Mutations like the fallows have red eyes. A fallow parrotlet might be leaf green, but it is a mutation because it has red eyes. Fallows are also much more rare then the Leaf green. There are lots of things you can read about when it comes to color mutations, and it's super cool to see how These amazing colors can be found in these birds! All color mutations have been created through selective breeding in captivity. Note that the word mutation does not mean there is anything physically wrong with the bird, it simply means that they have a color different from their natural color.

 

Why are parrotlets green in the wild?

In the wild, parrotlets live in flocks of 4 to up to 100 birds. A mutation such as a blue, yellow, or white parrotlet 

may be left behind or rejected from the flock because of its bright colors. in lush, green rainforests, the green color blends in well and protects the parrotlet, where a bright or unordinary color may attract predators to the flock. 

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