GRAY

GRAY
gr

Also sometimes called "Blue"

©Fanch Gourvès - France

©Hein van Grouw-Netherlands

©Fanch Gourvès - France

An autosomal recessive gene is responsible for the Gray mutation. This color mutation is from Italy and it is still rare in Europe (1997). In the US it is not yet known. Gray is a mutation which reduces all the phaeomelanin in the plumage while the eumelanin is unaffected.

The neck ring & tail band are black. The plumage of the wing shield, back and dorsal tail coverts has a light blue-gray color like the color of a blue Racing Homer. The primaries, secondaries and primary coverts are dark-gray with a white tip to the primaries, just like the dark wild-type. There is no "light area" about the feather rachis on the secondaries like Frosty. Head & breast plumage are a light gray without a mauve tint. The gray demonstrates that the mauve-pink color of the head & breast in the Wild includes phaeomelanin pigment. The color of the eyes, bill and legs is similar to the wild-type.

©Fanch Gourvès - France

The first interaction color observed is the combination with Blond. It is a very soft colored light gray bird. Only brown eumelanin is left in the plumage of the head, breast and back. This interaction proves the presence of brown eumelanin in the Ringneck Dove.

According to the similarity it is possible Gray and Frosty are allelic but this hasn't been investigated yet because the frosty mutant is not available in Europe, and Gray is not yet in the US.

©Rupert Stephenson-England
NOTE: per Hein van Grouw 5/3/01; the above picture is of a GRAY in combination with Blond (d^B// gr)

European Ringneck Colors