The first Opaline budgie was found in a wild flock in 1933, followed by an aviary-bred individual in England the next year. The British mutation was first called “marbled”, but the Australian name Opaline required fewer translations internationally, and was chosen as the official name instead.
Today, this mutation is one of the most common colors available. Many of the markings on their head, mantle, and wings have been removed, and a white stripe is present on the primary flight feathers. The presence of these markings exists on a spectrum; there are individuals with a lot of dark markings and others with very little.
Since they have had so much time to develop, Opalines are generally larger and healthier than budgies with other mutations. These traits make Opaline perfect for helping new mutations develop.
