Orange-faced Lovebirds
by Doug Bedwell
 Orange-faced (OF) is one of the newer Peachfaced Lovebird
mutations, first appearing in the late 1980s. OF causes a slight
reduction in red caratenoid pigmentation in the bird’s feathers.
The most obvious effect of this reduction is a shift in the hue of the
bird’s face, from the familiar bright red-orange of the normal
peachfaced to a truly orange color. Though not as immediately evident
as the facial color, the color of the body is also slightly effected,
and appears a slightly lighter, brighter green than in the normal
Peachfaced.
Orange-faced is a simple
recessive mutation, meaning a bird must inherit the mutation from both
its parents to show the true OF color. However, birds which are split
for OF (birds that only carry a single OF gene), can be visually
distinguished from normally colored birds. Though split OF birds do not
show the truly orange facial color of full OF birds, the face is
slightly more orange than normal. The difference can be easily seen
when the birds are compared side by side.
 With any color mutation, there is some
individual variation from bird to bird in the hue and intensity of
color. However, in orange faced this variability is more pronounced
than one might expect. Some birds will show a very pale orange, while
others may show a more intense reddish orange color (though still more
orange than the normal peachface). As breeders continue to experiment
with this mutation, it may be that two or more separate shades of the
orange faced will be established.
Left photo: Orange-faced lutino; below: Orange-faced Austrlian cinnamon.
To see more pictures of Orangefaced birds visit the ALBS Picture
Library.
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