The Recessive Pied

Geoff Capes

Recessive Pieds are in my opinion a great challenge as a variety. They have been the butt of many fanciers because in the past, this most beautiful bird was easy to breed in great numbers but, alas, below the Ideal Standard accepted as a good show specimen as laid down by the Budgerigar Society.

Because of its unusual beauty, especially in the Dark Factor varieties, I believe this budgerigar is a prime candidate for improvement. Already two or three breeders, including myself, have made great strides in improving the variety, and many of the top specimens have now reached the same ideal proportions as their Normal cousins. Recessives have already taken Best Opposite Sex in some major shows and after 5 or 6 years of development, improvements have been made bringing the elusive Best In Show to a point which is not far away. I hope it will be me!

To Identify the Recessive Pied

It has a body colour with irregular patches or thumb prints especially on the wings and the lower part of the body and is bred in most colours but shows better in the Dark factor i.e, cobalt, mauve, violet and dark green.

Tails: All clear or white/yellow/black or any combination.
Acceptable variegation: Between 10 and 20%
Bad colour points: Too heavily marked over the 20% marking and flecking or marking on the frontal brow.

**To breed Recessive Pieds**
Pairings	Expectations
Recessive Pied × Recessive Pied	100% Recessive Pied
Recessive Pied × Normal	100% Normal/Recessive Pied
Recessive Pied × Normal/Recessive Pied	50% Normal/Recessive Pied 50% Recessive Pied
Normal/Recessive Pied × Normal/Recessive Pied	25% Recessive Pied 50% Normal/Recessive Pied 25% Normal
Normal/Recessive Pied × Normal	50% Normal/Recessive Pied 50% Normal

N.B. Split/Recessive Pieds i.e., Normal-coloured budgerigars bred from Normal × Recessive Pied, first generation, will all be normal visual budgerigars but carrying 50% recessive genes. There are other genetic varieties to consider but this can cause over-complication. To breed a good Recessive Pied you must breed with the best possible Normals available with the best Recessive Pieds available.

Varieties which should not be used to breed Recessive Pieds are:

Dominant Pied
Clearwing
Lutino
Albino
Lacewing
Fallow
Crest

I hope many of you out there enjoy your hobby as I do. Join your local Club and The Budgerigar Society and may one day, a Recessive Pied budgerigar win a major Show.

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