Genes are made up of DNA and control the transmission of hereditary characteristics. The expression of the hereditary characteristics -- which for our purposes will be the plumage color -- is called the phenotype. The genotype is the genetic makeup of the individual bird. The genotype may vary while still producing the same phenotype.

Chromosomes are located within the nucleus of a cell and carry the genes which controls the hereditary characters of doves. these include type, shape, colour, size, sex, bone and so on . the chromosomes are associated in pairs of equal lenght . corresponding ( in position) genes on each chromosomes, in a pair are called Alleles. Alleles are one of a group of genes that occur at a given locus on the chromosome.

There are two categories of chromosomes -- autosomes and sex chromosomes. Autosomes are any chromosome other than a sex chromosome. Sex is determined by a heteromorphic (meaning dissimilar) pair of chromosomes called sex chromosomes. In mammals these chromosomes are labeled X and Y. A male mammal has the XY and a female the XX complement. In birds, not only is the complement of the sex chromosomes the opposite of mammals, but geneticists also assign a different lettering to make the distinction. The letters used are Z and W. A male dove is ZZ while the female is ZW. The important thing to remember is that the W chromosome carries no known active genes. This is important to know when we get to the sex-linked genes.

A genetic difference is produced by a pair of genes -- one received from the male parent and one received by the female parent. (This is true except for the sex-linked genes where the difference in female birds is the result only of the gene on the Z chromosome.) If both genes are identical, the genetic makeup is called homozygous. If the pair of genes is different, then it is called heterozygous.

A dominant gene is one that can express itself to the same degree either in the homozygous or heterozygous state hiding an alternative form. a dove carrying the dominant gene on one half of the chromosome pair will be coloured as if it was carried on both halves. A gene that can express itself only in the homozygous state is referred to as a recessive gene. the recessive colurs will only show themselves if they are carried on both halves of the chromosome pairs. a dove can then be on dominant colour and carry in it's genetic make up one or more recessive colour in a hidden form. There is also a condition called codominance, which exists for some genes. This means that gene has the ability to express itself to some degree in the heterozygous state.

for instance , when the normal colour gene and the terra cotta colour gene are on allele pair . the dove is normal colour because normal gene is dominant with the respect to the terra cotta gene . because of the interaction of disimilar alleles. a dove's physical make up ( it's phoenotype) may be different from it's genetic make up ( it's genotype) .

since doves became domesticated throughout the dove lover in asian culture . thier mutations have become varied in many types and varieties . the original wild dove known as terra cotta ( at first they haven't seen this kind of terra cotta dove and they misunderstood called it albino!!!). but now they developed many terra cotta and varying shades of colours. when fancy dove became know as a popular pet last decade then many breeder developed the exhibition dove, many cross mutations were raised.