BelovedBirds
Crossing the Road
I agree, this has happened with Aylesbury mixes, in ducksI have seen too many species brought to the brink of extinction because of cross-breeding. Especially if the offspring are fertile. The resulting babies often don't know how to behave and some do have health issues.
It may not be as bad with the infertile ones (like the mule and jenny), but look up the Parrot Cichlid. That poor fish can't even close it's mouth!
Macaws have messed up gene pools due to breeding the Blue and Gold to the Scarlet. Same situation with some species of lovebirds, breeding Peachface to Masked.
This is not to be confused with domestic dog and cat breeds, as they are the same species, just in different 'flavours', so to speak.
I think there's one, two, flocks of purebred Aylesbury left in the UK now? But hundreds claimed to be "Aylesbury, cherry Valley mixes"
That's a little saddening. In some species very unethical due to health and wellbeing. But as long as people are responsible and protect those breeds, that doesn't have to happen in every case- at least with musocvies, mules are infertile. So you'd *have* to have pure muscovies in order to keep a flock of mules.