"High Red" vs "Red Factor" suns

[BridgetsFlame]

So, I'm 99% certain that Australia doesn't have red factor sun conures due to our import laws, (I could be wrong on that though). Or if they are here they are rare as hens teeth.

I recently came across a breeder selling "high red" pineapple GCC's, which made me wonder about my Atti.

Outside of pictures of red factors I'm seen online, Atti has the brightest red I've seen in a sun, I always do a double take when I see a normal sun wondering why it is so yellow.

I don't seem to have recent images of him on this computer, but this was him when he was just beginning to moult out his baby colours (he's also pied)

As an adult the feathers at the top of his wings are all yellow edged in red, and he's a solid orange/red apart from a small patch on his stomach (that is slightly more yellow) across his front.

Would he be defined as a high red? or just a particularly red sun? His parents were 'apparently' wild caught imports from South America, but the breeder disappeared on me less than a month after I collected Atti. And I mean disappeared... house empty, aviaries empty, mobile phone number disconnected. Up until that point I would have said he was a fantastic breeder. I did see the parents and they were the standard yellow sun conures with an orange blush to their cheeks and the rest of the 'yellow' feathers an eye smarting shade of yellow. His sister came out the same as the parents when she moulted her juvenile feathers.

I guess I'm just curious in how much variation there is in the colouring? without it being a different mutation all together?

 

[Mekaisto]

Red factor is a true mutation, so basically unless an independent mutation occurs, you can't get a red factor chick if neither parent is red factor. Red factor suns are actually found in Australia, although still rare.

I'm of the understanding that 'high red' refers to the amount of red in pineapple/red-sided GCCs, not suns, but I could be wrong.

Your sun has a fairly red face, but I wouldn't consider it particularly unusual - suns can naturally show anything from straight yellow all the way to a face and chest that is very red, but it's not the same as having a bird with the red factor mutation.
Basically, variation can be quite drastic, even in related birds

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I do know their is a hybrid type of sun conure that is not a normal mutation and they don't live long once hatched. I wish I could remember the name of them, but I can't.

Skittles has more orange than anything. I've seen several other suns on google etc that have far more yellow and less orange than Skittles does. I've no idea what type of sun conure he is. I just assume hes your typical sun.

 

[Mekaisto]

You're thinking of a 'dark red' sun conure skittys_daddy, it's basically an extreme version of the red factor. The colour is indicative of an abnormality of the brain and spleen, which is why they don't live long.

 

[MonicaMc]

I kind of feel as if "red factor" and "high red" are one and the same. It's a color trait that is bred for, not necessarily a mutation. If at least one parent carries the trait, then it gives a higher chance for the offspring to inherit the trait.

Opaline bourke parakeets are a good example. The typical opalines are called "Rosy Bourkes" (aka pink), but opalines can come in blue, green, red, yellow, white and even "rainbow" shades. It's not different mutations, as the mutation itself is opaline. However, the other colors are generally bred for to create a bigger variety of colors within this one mutation.


Examples....

rose opaline (original Rosy/Opaline mutation)
20007-red-opaline
darkgreen-opaline
Blue series
Greenblue Bourke's 2003
2004 dark bluegreen
yellow opaline
blue opaline Bourke



Although I do wonder what exactly is going on with the "Double Factor Red Factor" sun conures.... these being the ones that rarely make it past weaning, and if they do, they pass on shortly after. Also kind of wonder if it's anything like the "Feather Duster" budgies...

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I've never heard of high red, but I have heard of red factor.

Personally, and this is just me, but I don't find the reds to be as colorful as the regular suns.

I know Skittles has a lot of deep orange, both his parents do as well. But you can clearly decipher the coloring on him. Red on his head, blends to orange to yellow to green to blue and then to green again and then blue again.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

You're thinking of a 'dark red' sun conure skittys_daddy, it's basically an extreme version of the red factor. The colour is indicative of an abnormality of the brain and spleen, which is why they don't live long.

Okay, that's the one. I knew it was some kind of genetic problem that caused them to not live long. I just couldn't remember the exact problem.

It's probably those that I don't think are that pretty. They are rather dark.

Skittles has a lot of orange, but it's a pretty orange, it's like 'neon'.