Color patterns that turn up in gyrfalcon breeding

[Anthony Appleyard]

If someone breeds gyrfalcons, and does not bother much about their ancestry or what color breeds with what color, is the result merely the various standard phases? or do all sorts of strange color schemes turn up? The same may happen in the wild, if the stock has got mixed by migration or escaped falconry birds. I read that someone found in a collection of gyr skins, a skin that was different colors on different sides :: a falcon with one white wing and one black wing would look rather strange.

[Biarmicus]

Originally Posted by Anthony Appleyard

If someone breeds gyrfalcons, and does not bother much about their ancestry or what color breeds with what color, is the result merely the various standard phases? or do all sorts of strange color schemes turn up?

I would imagine it would probably depend on the genetic traits of the individual falcons, similar to blue eyes are dominate over brown eyes in humans.

So with Gyrfalcons I believe it would be basically the same, some Gyrfalcons might be one solid colour while the other Gyrfalcons even though they are from the same clutch would be varying in colour or they might be very similar to one another.

It all depends on which genes are dominate and which genes are recessive.

For example in 1866 Gregor Mendel published his findings about the genetics concerning the garden pea plant, he described that between the green garden peas and the yellow garden peas, the yellow colour was dominate over the green in the first generation, but the further generations of pea plants were a mixture of yellow and green peas.

Sorry if this is confusing, I find it a very interesting subject but very hard to explain.

There is a breeder in Canada that breeds Gyrfalcons, He also keeps the genetic records for his falcons online: http://www.falconscanada.com/gyr_genetics.htm#Page%2014


Brittney

[As The Falcon Her Bells]

There has never been (as far as we know) a proof of the reccencive or dominant color genes in gyrs, as two white can produce dark (two blue eyed can never produce brown), grey can produce white and two black can produce white, even tough this only ever been recorded in Labrador.
We found that for some reasons you seems to get the most extrem colors and predominantly white in the first year, for it then to tune down over the years and produce more "normal" white and grey and silver.
Also some white pure gyr males seem to produce the most extrodinary white hybrids, but not any particilary white pure gyrs, and vice versa.

[StormRider]

im sure I've seen a recent photo on this forum of a falcon (Cant remember what species) that had a duo tone plumage. There was almost a clear line down the middle of the bird wher the right side was silvery/Brown and the left Brown Silvery (as if a negative of the right side). Ill have alook for the photo and see if I can repost it. Bloody freaky man, but absolutely gorgeous.
STU

[Chris Kimble]

I have seen photos of a dual colored gyr falcon similar to what your speaking of. I believe it was in a book by Emma Ford? If I recall the bird was a wild nestling. However when I was staying in Oregon I had the pleasure of seeing a wild caught gyr falcon that also had dual coloration. I dont remember the specifics of the bird, only that it was very unusual. And as it has already been said, I have also personaly seen gyrs produce young that were colored quite differently than they were.
On a similar note...I once trapped a female american kestrel that displayed a unique coloration. Upon throwing the trap I ID'd the bird as a male, but when I whent to get it off the trap..I was suprised to see it was a female with one blue wing. Very strange to say the least! I took her to a friends house who lived close by, to get some photos before releasing her. I'll have to see if he can dig them out for me.

[As The Falcon Her Bells]

Did you mean this one Storm?
Female gyr/peregrine breed by Nicholas

[Anthony Appleyard]

For pictures about gyrfalcons, see http://www.falconscanada.com/index.htm (which Biarmicus pointed to hereinabove).

http://www.falconscanada.com/assets/...all_Chicks.jpg a basketful of fluffies.

http://www.falconscanada.com/assets/...ll/Pinto_2.JPG an unusual color effect

two black can produce white

This can happen if black is dominant to white and both parents are "split for white" (= heterozygous).

[StormRider]

Originally Posted by As The Falcon Her Bells

Did you mean this one Storm?
Female gyr/peregrine breed by Nicholas

Thats the one Sara. That is just beeootiful!
Do you have any more pics SAra?
STU

[Anthony Appleyard]

At an agricultural show I met a man who breeds gyrfalcons, and he said that in one litter of young he got one white, one silver, one brown, one black.

[Afshimo]

there's a variation, only seen in russi from a guy breeding over there (has goldie's too) thats cream/white with tear/water spots where the funny bar marking go at the ends of the feathers. Dud used to have a pic...gone now