▁Studies ▁of ▁inter generic ▁hy brid ization ▁proved ▁that ▁the ▁lav ender ▁mut ation ▁in ▁qu ail ▁is ▁hom olog ous ▁to ▁the ▁same ▁phen ot ype ▁in ▁ch icken ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁species , ▁the ▁lav ender ▁phen ot ype ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁a ▁non - le th al ▁complex ▁mut ation ▁involving ▁three ▁consecutive ▁over la pping ▁chrom os om al ▁changes ▁( two ▁in versions ▁and ▁one ▁delet ion ) ▁that ▁have ▁consequences ▁on ▁the ▁genom ic ▁organization ▁of ▁four ▁gen es ▁( ML PH ▁and ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁P RL H , ▁R AB 1 7 ▁and ▁L R R FI P 1 ). ▁The ▁delet ion ▁of ▁P RL H ▁has ▁no ▁effect ▁on ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁circul ating ▁pro la ct in . ▁Lav ender ▁birds ▁have ▁l ighter ▁body ▁weight , ▁lower ▁body ▁temperature ▁and ▁increased ▁feed ▁consumption ▁and ▁resid ual ▁feed ▁int ake ▁than ▁wild - type ▁pl um age ▁qu ail , ▁indicating ▁that ▁this ▁complex ▁mut ation ▁is ▁affect ing ▁the ▁met abol ism ▁and ▁the ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁home oth erm y . ▁ ▁In ▁other ▁bird ▁species ▁ ▁In ▁other ▁bird ▁species , ▁similar ▁fe ather ▁colour ▁dil utions ▁have ▁been ▁described , ▁including ▁the ▁aut os om al ▁re cess ive ▁sl ate ▁tur key ▁( M ele ag ris ▁gal lop avo ), ▁mil ky ▁p ige on ▁( Col um ba ▁liv ia ), ▁and ▁the ▁lav ender ▁mus c ovy ▁du ck ▁( C air ina ▁mos