Abstract
After reading the article in june/luly 1983 issue of Watchbird on new cockatiel mutations, I could not rest because I had watched the development of the Jutino pearl variety for several years.
A short year after our move to Oregon in late 1976, my husband and I were privileged to meet and become friends with a man named Mack Phillips of Veneta, Oregon.
Mack, a retired merchant marine, is a bird lover of over 30 years experience. He has worked with cockatiels for 25 to 27 years, and sells his young birds to wholesalers and dealers all over the west coast.
When first visiting Mack's flights with a friend, I was completely impressed, not only by the prevalent yellow in his lutinos, but the large size and quality of his birds in general. I have not seen much of this size in pet stores or at other hobby breeders I have visited. This same quality has been ever prevalent through the years we have known Mack.
We observed as many as 30 to 40 birds in most of his roomy, well ventilated flights. Mack has since told us he has thirty flights.
Three years ago when my husband and I were visiting Mack and his lovely wife Deloris, he said to us, "Come on, I gotta show ya. I think I'm onta
somethin'.'' He repeated this again and again as we entered the flight. Imagine our amazement when we were faced with about three dozen of what Mack calls his yellow bars; lutino pearls.
Mack first started working on it six and one half years ago and now has fourth generation chicks, although the mutation does not breed completely true yet. This is his future goal for the lutino pearl mutation.
Since Mack is working with other color combinations in breeding his birds, who knows what exciting things might be forthcoming in the future. •