I used to keep budgerigars, which proved to be a very interesting hobby for a biologist.

Eradicating a recessive gene is almost impossible, even with controlled breeding.

Just because you have a group of similar looking individuals with a dominant inherited feature it doesn't mean that a gene which is recessive to it has been lost, it is just hidden, and without DNA analysis there is no quick way to tell which individuals are homozygous and which heterozygous for a particular feature.

You might have no red headed people known in a family, and no red heads at the wedding, but that is no guarantee of a lack of redheaded offspring.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: