colourful king parrots

I read something today in Simpson and Day, about parrots that have yellow feathers are usually lacking melanin.

Just doing a quick scan on the net I found this article:

http://www.parrotparrot.com/articles/aa022701.htm  

Also, in an atricle about budgie colouration it mentions that if the budgie is low in Blue melanin, then the feather will be yellow.

Hope this gives you some leads.

Peter

"Alan Gillanders" <> Sent by: 26/12/2002 10:45 AM

To:        "jade welch" <>         cc:        "birding-aus" <>         Subject:        Re: [BIRDING-AUS] colourful king parrots

Jade,
 
I have seen photos of a male King Parrot which were taken in the hills north west of Brisbane where all the red was replaced by yellow.
 
Yesterday, 25/12, I was walking around Atherton when I glimpsed a Rosella with a red head. My interest was raised so I tracked it down. There were a few yellow feathers on the crown. The red was more like that of the Eastern Rosella than the Crimson which we do get in the area. When another Pale-headed flew up to it I was able to make a comparison. The red head was more intensely coloured on the blue of the lower cheeks and this blue met under its bill. Likewise the vent and wing colours were very bright but both birds had very pale bellies, almost white.
 
Once at Lake Eacham I saw a Wompoo Pigeon which was a metallic blue on the wings and back. It was not a trick of the light as I was able to move around and view it from directly underneath and the other side. When a car drove past and all the flock flew it was easy to pick this individual and follow its return. If my memory serves me correctly about other details it had a pale vent but a strongly coloured head, neither out of the normal range.
 
Hope Santa was kind to you,
Alan