Gouldian Finch - Dark Factor

GOULDIAN FINCH
ERYTHRURA GOULDIAE

MODIFICATIONS

DARK FACTOR

© G.Tulk & M.Fidler
Double Dark Factor or Olive Green male (left) and Single Dark Factor or Dark Green male (right)

Early in 1994 in the U.K., a very interesting chick hatched from a pair of normal green series Gouldian Finches.
When this young bird moulted out it seemed different, it was a brighter bird and its deeper, cleaner colours set it apart.

The subsequent progeny proved it to be genetically different. This bird and its progeny carry the “Dark Factor” gene.

A whole blood line has been built around this bird over the last few years and the new colour phase is an “Dominant Dark Factor”. It appears in both Single Dark factor (Dark Green/Laurel) and Double Dark Factor (Olive) in the green series. The gene itself is not responsible for the colour, i.e. green or blue, only the depth of that colour, and it works independently of the other colour genes.

The breeding program has now been extended into the blue and yellow series, and both red and yellow-headed green series. The blue series should prove interesting as a Single Dark Factor Blue, (Dark Blue or Cobalt) and Double Dark Factor Blue (Mauve) should be possible.

The Dark Factor colour phase could be applied to all existing colour variations that exist today and, in effect, would triple the number of colour variants available to Gouldian breeders.