How to Breed Different Colors of Parrotlets

Parrotlets, also known as "pocket parrots," are miniature varieties of parrots. During breeding, each pair should be kept in a separate cage, but within hearing distance of other parrotlets to encourage mating. Potential color mutations come about with the right genetic color combinations. To successfully breed a desired color of offspring, breeders should understand the basics of recessive single mutations.

  1. Breeding American Dark Factor Green

    • The American dark factor has olive green plumage intermingling with brown. Its flight feathers are darkly hued to almost black and it's the most recent Pacific parrotlet mutation conceived by breeders. Molting processes render the mostly olive green plumage of the young even darker in older birds. This particular breed is produced when a normal green parrotlet is bred with a blue one, and then the first offspring is rebred with another unrelated double split. A double split is any breed that has dual coloration. Successful breeding with existing blue mutations will yield cobalt blue progeny.

    Breeding Fallow Pacific

    • Male fallow pacifics have cobalt blue markings with bright yellow streaks, while females have noticeable eye streaks and duller shades lacking cobalt blue contrasts. This mutation is also characterized by golden green and beige plumage and bright red eyes. They can have soft blue rumps when one parent hails from the Lucida subspecies and the other is pure visual blue. A normal yellow parent bred to a normal blue mate produces the first generation, and subsequent unrelated double split repairing will produce this color.

    Breeding American White

    • Originally bred by Dr. Rainer Erhart, a prominent parrotlet breeder, this dark-eyed bird has a rump and dark blue flight feathers. Markings are noticeably present on its wings, back, eyes and rump. Breeding an American yellow to a blue produces first-generation offspring in a double-split genetic pairing, and then breeding the first generation to another double split gives rise to the second generation, the American white.

    American Yellow

    • Also evolved through the efforts of Dr. Rainer Erhart, this breed differs greatly from the European specie. It has bright yellow feathers and dark eyes for both genders. The male has a rump, eye streaks and blue wings. Producing first-generation progeny requires pairing a normal yellow with a normal blue, and then breeding first progeny to one other double split to come up with the American yellow.