Lipochrome is a fat soluble dye that colours the feathers. Melanin is the colour Brown or Black that may appear in some feathers ie Blue Green Cinnamon and Faun.

Name/Type Abbreviation used when showing Description
Clear N/A A clear bird has NO dark feathers or marks of any kind
Lightly Variegated. L.V. A grouping of Bird which has less than 50% dark feathers. Problems can arise when a bird is around 50%. When this arises for showing seek advice and a declaration from a Panel Judge. This can be arranged through your club.
Heavily Variegated H.V. A grouping of Bird which has greater than 50% dark feathers. Problems can arise when a bird is around 50%. When this arises for showing seek advice and a declaration from a Panel Judge. This can be arranged through your club.
Ticked N/A Means birds with a very small patch of dark feather usually less than the 20mm in diameter
Self N/A A dark feathered bird that contains NO light feathers; i.e. it is 100% dark feathered
Foul N/A A bird that would would have been classified self, except for a light feather usually in the wing or tail
Grizzled N/A A group of feathers which are grey in appearance. Often found on the head and shoulder of a bird.
Any Colour A.C. This a show classification only and not a type of variegation. It is a class is open to any colour of bird.
Any Other Colour A.O.C. This is a show classiffication only not a type of variegation, and is for birds that are NOT able to fit into any other class i.e. there could be no classes for Faun or Blue.

Yellow Canary click Left Mouse button to enlarge Lightly variegated cinnamon Young Bird. click Left Mouse button to enlarge HV Yellow Canary click Left Mouse button to enlarge Ticked - Buff Canary click Left Mouse button to enlarge
Clear Yellow bird. Although it has some white feather in it's wing it is NOT regarded as variegated and is NOT a Buff.
When we talk Yellow or Buff etc we are talking about the base colour (lipochrome) 		Lightly variegated Cinnamon Yellow.
 Heavily variegated Yellow.
 Ticked Buff Canary. The patch of dark colour is less than a .10c coin
Self Yellow Canary click Left Mouse button to enlarge Grizzled Canary click Left Mouse button to enlarge
Self Cinnamon. Could also be shown as HV Cinnamon if Self category did not exist.
 Grizzled Buff.

Note that in this schedule more than one type of variegation is in the same class.
Class
Cocks
FF1 Yellow Clear
FF2 Yellow Ticked or Lightly Variegated
FF3 Yellow Heavy Variegated Self Cinnamon or Green
FF4 Buff Clear
FF5 Buff Ticked or Lightly Variegated
FF6 Buff Heavy Variegated Self Cinnamon or Green
FF7 Any Other Colour
Hens
etc....


Author: J Hart - Published 20/09/05