Pure Breds vs. Hybrids

[KimM]

I have a question. I'm a first time "macaw" owner and have heard some people are against hybrids and some are ok with it.

I don't want to start a war or anything... I'm just curious about the controversy and what the concerns are. I have a hybrid macaw... a Harlequin and love him to death.

Are there the same concerns with birds as it is with cats, dogs, horses, etc? Are breeders or other people concerned about affecting the pure bred bloodlines?

[birdsnreps]

yes, breeders are afraid of "dirtying" the pure genetics of the pure bred birds. once you breed a hybrid, that bird will never, ever be able to produce pure offspring, no matter how closely their babies resemble pure birds. i think most hybrid breeders just wanna breed something different that no one else has, and part of the reason they do it is cause of the diff colors that they can produce.

[Oviraptor]

Unless one of the parent birds being bred is an endangered species, I really don't see any problem with it at all.

[swanwillow]

well, lets look at something thats not as showy as a hybrid macaw-lovebirds.

If you cross lovebirds, you can really screw things up. This is good, and bad, at the same time.
A peach-faced lovebird crossed with a black-masked or fishers will create a hybrid that is sterile. IMO, this is a good thing-some people just shouldn't breed birds (the local pet store included-they have a hybrid and I'm not gonna tell them that it is, BAD pet store!!!)

Now, crossing a black-masked to a fishers creates a viable offspring-something that can breed and have babies with either a masked or a fishers. This isn't good, it can ruin the lines, and since the two are already hard enough to tell apart... well, Its just not all that good.

[Freedomoflight]

Originally Posted by Oviraptor

Unless one of the parent birds being bred is an endangered species, I really don't see any problem with it at all.

Most pet birds owned are on CITES II and CITES I, which marks them as critically endangered or endangered. The only birds that are not viewed as endangered are budgies and cockatiels.

[Courtzrocks]

All birds need to be loved, doesnt matter if they are "pure" or not. As long as the parents are healthy should be ok but i would never breed with a hybrid. Like you would never breed a crossbred dog. If it's pure one with pure another...ok can get away with it but if one is already crossed, nope. And i understand the endangered thing, I agree it is best to go the pure but if it is already done then there is nothing you can do about it, if they become really endangered they would probably do something about it as it would make it more popular to have a pure again.

[fluffy_stitch]

i disagree with hybridaziation too,i think its about 'making' the prettiest or biggest or most unnusual with little regard for the animals themselves,dogs and cats though arent really hybrids,i suppose they are mutations of the same species,and just look at all the deffects that some breeds can suffer from because of people breeding them just for a certain look.

[Lori~D]

But - to go the otherr way...some Hybrid animals are stronger and more disease resistant.

[Courtzrocks]

It is true, I think say if you breed a pure labrador with a pure poodle hence the labradoodle they make great seeing eye dogs for people with allergies. But I would never breed labradoodle to labradoodle...Way too risky.

[RenBrownINC]

Originally Posted by KimM

I have a question. I'm a first time "macaw" owner and have heard some people are against hybrids and some are ok with it.

I don't want to start a war or anything... I'm just curious about the controversy and what the concerns are. I have a hybrid macaw... a Harlequin and love him to death.

Are there the same concerns with birds as it is with cats, dogs, horses, etc? Are breeders or other people concerned about affecting the pure bred bloodlines?

Oh wow, I'm not even going to get started on this. I like my membership here.