Buff blue-tail

Color of the male

Plumage: rich even buff, except for the bright-blue pattern on the tail and wing-flights; a few small blue feather-tips are allowed at the lower neck-hackle.

Primary-flights: bright-blue with a rich even buff lace, which should be sharp and not too broad.

Secondary-flights: bright-blue with a broad, uniformly rich even buff lace on the inner-web; the outer-web is rich even buff, so that when the wing is closed, it is almost entirely a rich even buff.

Tail: main-feathers bright-blue, sickles bright-blue with rich even buff lacing and light veins; in contrast, most males have such a wide rich even buff lacing on the shorter sickles that they are predominant buff.

Down: light salmon or grey, which should not break through the surface-color

Note

The male is generally a darker buff than the female.

Serious faults

Buff patches on the tail main-feathers. Absence of blue on the wing-flights. Blue feather-tips at the lower neck-hackle or distinct shaft-stripes. Uneven, much too light or too dark color. White in any part of the plumage.

Faults

Slightly too much buff on the greater sickles. Insufficient pattern on the wing-flights. Slightly uneven, slightly too light or slightly too dark in color.

Color of the female

Plumage: rich even buff, except for the bright-blue pattern on the tail and wing-flights; a few small blue feather-tips are allowed at the lower neck-hackle.

Wing-flights: similar to those of the male.

Tail: main-feathers bright-blue, except the top feathers on each side on either side, which must have a narrow, sharply defined, rich even buff lacing, buff lacing on the other main-feathers is allowed, coverts bright-blue with a narrow rich even buff lacing, complete buff is allowed.

Down: Light salmon or grey, which should not break through the surface-color.

Serious faults

Buff patches on the tail main-feathers. Absence of blue in the wing-flights. Blue feather-tips at the lower neck-hackle or distinct shaft-stripes. Uneven, much too light or too dark color. White in any part of the plumage.

Faults

Too broad buff lacing on the tail main-feathers. Insufficient pattern on the wing-flights. Slightly uneven, slightly too light or slightly too dark in color.