Sparkly

Sparkly is an incomplete dominant mutation that causes increased black patterning on coturnix quail. It likely slightly increases the overall eumelanin production in a bird, however it is has never been formally studied in a lab. All of the information below has been compiled from different breeder's experience, and from knowledge of other genes on the same locus.

Sparkly doesn't change much of the overall coloring, but can give the bird an overall darker or more red look (1). Both forms of Sparkly create more black barring on each feather, and extend the chest spots down the breast of both males and females. Quail can still be feather sexed by the mask and overall coloration on most forms (1), but not easily on Rosetta.

It is on the E locus of the MC1R gene, which is the same as Extended Brown (Tibetan and Rosetta) and Calico. (1)

You will never see a Tibetan Sparkly, or a full homozygous Calico Sparkly because of this. However, it is possible to have a het. sparkly Rosetta bird. Sparkly on Rosetta like this is often confused for Fawn Enhancement or het. Calico. It creates a slightly darker shade, and more patterning through the breast (3)(4).

On Fawn, the black "v" shaped patterning from Italian is extended all throughout the back and breast to create an overall almost barred look to the bird (5). In pharaoh, the pattern is restricted to the breast and face, creating a more red face in the males and red patterning through the breast. In pharaoh hens, the red is more limited, but the breast patterning will be extended throughout the bottom of the breast. (5)

With one copy of the gene, Sparkly is much less prominent but still easily seen. It will still extend the patterning through the back and wingspread, but less patterning overall through the breast.

Breeding with Sparkly:

For more information about breeding with this kind of gene, including tips and tricks and a full explanation of how these results were calculated, please see here.

Sparkly x Sparkly = 100% Sparkly

Sparkly x Wildtype = 100% Het. Sparkly

Sparkly x Het. Sparkly = 50% Sparkly, 50% Het. Sparkly

Het. Sparkly x Het. Sparkly = 25% Sparkly, 50% Het. Sparkly, 25% Wildtype

Het. Sparkly x Wildtype = 50% Het. Sparkly, 50% Wildtype

Sparkly can also be breed on Manchurian, Italian, and Rosetta. To see about breeding with multiple genes, please see the genetics series here.