Texas Clearbody Budgerigar
First emerging in America in the early 1950s, the Clearbody Budgerigar breed initially boasts three distinct types – Texas, Easley and Terraneo. Over time, however, the Terraneo Clearbody has mysteriously vanished, leaving the Texas Clearbody and the Easley Clearbody budgies as the sole remaining varieties. Notably, the Texas Clearbody derives its name from its origin state, Texas, whereas the Easley Clearbody bears the name of C. F. Easley. Easley, a resident of California, played a crucial role in establishing this particular variety.
Currently, these two enduring Clearbody budgerigar varieties exhibit not only significant differences in their appearances but also in their unique breeding patterns. Specifically, the Texas Clearbody trait’s inheritance operates through a sex-linked recessive pattern. Interestingly, when this breed is paired with Ino varieties (that is, Lutino and Albino), it surprisingly behaves as a dominant trait. Because of this distinctive interaction, it is impossible for an Ino to mask a Clearbody, a scenario that is feasible with other varieties. Moreover, while you cannot split a normal variety for both Clearbody and Ino traits, you can indeed split a Clearbody for Ino.
Image Courtesy of Rod Turnbull and the ANBC
Identification of the Exhibition Clearbody Budgerigar
The Standard dictates that the exhibition Clearbody budgerigar ought to display a body ground color, primarily buttercup yellow or white. This hue should mask the standard color while potentially showing faint, minimal suffusion throughout the body. Furthermore, the rump and flank areas often exhibit increased intensity of suffusion. The mask of the bird, on the other hand, should appear clear, deep, and wide, without being cleft. Importantly, it should extend beyond two sizable cheek patches. Additionally, six large, round, evenly spaced black throat spots adorn the mask. Lastly, the cheek patch base appears in such a way that they partially conceal the outer spots of the mask.
Markings on the cheeks, back of the head, neck, and wings should be black, clearly defined, and symmetrical on the appropriate ground colour for the Clearbody Budgerigar. Additionally, body colour suffusion should be minimal and increase in shade progressively from the upper breast to the rump area. Cheek patches for both yellow and white variants are Violet/Grey. Meanwhile, the tail feather should be Dark Blue to Black with a black tail quill. A black eye with white iris ring characterizes the Clearbody Budgerigar. Their feet are a mottled blue-grey or pink color. The cock features a blue cere, while the hen has a brown cere.
Suggested Pairings to Produce Clearbody Budgerigars
The Texas Clearbody Budgerigar, which displays sex-linked inheritance, is the variety we have in Australia. When paired with Ino (Lutino and Albino), the Clearbody acts dominant. Because of this relationship, an Ino cannot be masking a Clearbody as it can with other varieties.
The Texas Clearbody is a sex-linked variety. Below are the pairing expectations for the variety.
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