This mutation first appeared in Australia in the aviary of Mervin Jones of Traralgon, Victoria, in the nest of a Dominant Australian Pied Self Opaline cock and a light greywing hen. These birds were breeding in a colony also containing Recessive Pieds, Dominant Pieds and Normals.

A DOMINANT FACTOR

The spangle factor proved to be dominant and the new mutation soon found its way into other aviaries around the country. But, as Australia has an export ban on "native birds", the mutation was contained within that country until the ban was temporarily lifted for six months and the new variety was exported to New Zealand. It was from this stock that the first spangle came to the USA. Frank Brooky, President of the BS of New Zealand, who had visited the US on vacation, obtained a skyblue spangle cock from Robby Robinson in Aukland for Diane and Terry Parlton of Hawaii, who bred this bird to some of their own hens of Langell bloodlines.

SWITZERLAND

About the same time a young man who was transferred in his work from Australia to Switzerland was able to take some spangles with him. In Switzerland he obtained some good quality local breeding stock and bred them to the spangles - producing a number of spangle youngsters, and improving the exhibition qualities of the variety.

When the young man returned to Australia, a German breeder was able to purchase the entire stud. An expensive purchase, as he was obliged to pay not only for existing spangles, but also for the expected spangle production from the next round.

SPANGLES IN ENGLAND

It was from this German breeder that the spangles found their way to England and into the aviaries of some of the top breeders.

As the spangle factor is dominant (the expectations are similar to those of the dominant pied) it was relatively simple to improve the quality by pairing to good quality normals.

Alf Ormerod and Harry Bryan bred the spangles into top stock producing some excellent show specimens which have already made their mark on the English show scene. During the 1984 show season Harry Bryan took several Best Breeder awards and one Best in Show with a young Yellow Face Spangle cock.

BREEDING EXPECTATIONS

The Breeding rules for the spangle are simple. The variety can be produced in single and double factor forms as follows:

S.F. Spangle x Normal gives 50% S.F. Spangle, 50% Normal

S.F. Spangle x S.F. Spangle gives 25% D.F. Spangle, 50% S.F. Spangle, 25% Normal

D.F. Spangle x Normal gives 100% S.F. Spangle

D.F. Spangle x S.F. Spangle gives 50% D.F. Spangle, 50% S.F. Spangle

D.F. Spangle x D.F. Spangle gives 100% D.F. Spangle

In general exhibition breeders will tend to follow the first of these matings i.e. Single Factor Spangle to the best available Normals and produce Single Factor spangles only. However, the mating of Spangles together, provided they are of suitable quality, could be made. The Double Factor birds produced would produce 100% Single Factor Spangles when bred to Normals.

The Double Factor Spangles are different to the Single Factor birds in appearance, being similar to a dark-eyed clear. They also tend to reduce in overall size and especially in head qualities.

SHADE FACTORS

Unlike normals, where there are three different shade factors in each colour series e.g. sky, cobalt and mauve in the blue series, it appears that there are spangles in several different shades in all colour series.

The "spangling" which becomes more intense after the first moult, also varies from one spangle to another. The Grey Green spangles tend to have all feathers very evenly marked. The pigmentation appears far more intense on the dark factor birds and less intense on the Cinnamons where the body colour is also diluted.

UNUSUAL SPOTS

Perhaps the most unusual thing about the Spangles are the spots. In the green series birds there is a black spot with a yellow centre, on the blue series there is a black spot with a white centre. This can vary from a near "normal" spot to a faint black outline of the spot, or to a light yellow spot on the yellow mask (similar to a lutino) with a faint black marking around the edge of the feather.

POINTS OF INTEREST

There are several points of interest to the serious exhibitor interested in breeding Spangles.

The Spangles, as often is the case with new mutations, are prolific breeders. Fertility from the cocks is very high. And it is common for the hens to lay large clutches of eggs.

From two Spangle cocks imported from England in early 1984, we produced over 30 Spangles in 15 months. A Dark Green Spangle from Alf Ormerod has fertilized over 80% of eggs and produced an average of 3 Spangles per nest. A Grey Green Spangle, banded by Harry Bryan, has fertilized all but one egg out of six nests with three different hens. (Obviously the cocks were not used to raise all the chicks - so as not to over strain the bird).