Why is my Galah a different pink?

Question

I've had my galah for 4 years now. She is originally from Darwin but we bought her in Sydney when she was just bout 8 or 9 months old. Is there a possability that she may be a hybrid or something, because she's a much paler pink than the native galahs. Or, does it have to do with her age? and that later on her feathers will go a dark pink like the rest?

Help please.

Answer 1

The color of Galah's is typically pink and grey, and can vary in the natural wild population from mostly grey to mostly pink. Because of the close genetic relationship, they can sometimes interbreed with Cockatiels and even Little Corellas producing hybrids, though that is not the cause of the color variation.



Many parrot species will have muted coloration in the juveniles that will deepen with their first few moults to the brighter/darker adult coloration. Since your bird is 4 years old though, this is not likely the case - she is probably the color she'll stay now, as she's in her adult coloration.



You just got a pretty pale pink girl!



~Felicity

Answer 2

There are varying shades of pink in galahs all over Australia. It is not likely to a be a hybrid. Hybrid galahs are very distinctive in appearance & colour, not shades of pink.



The shade of pink your galah is determines the state it originates from. All states have slightly different shades of pink in their galahs. Sorry I can't even remember which is which with the states either :( I do have it in a book, I just have to find the book.

Answer 3

not 100% sure, but id imagine that captive breeding (and also natural selection in the wild) would produce galahs with slight colour variations. i mean, look at how budgies ended up from the original green, yellow and black! for example, i saw a wild galah the other day that was more a greyish pink.