A pure White Kookaburra (1 Viewer)

[greykangaroo]

A very rare white Kookaburra seen and photographed by a lucky person in Queensland.
It is most probably the result of a condition called leucism
Leucism, is an abnormal plumage condition caused by a genetic mutation that prevents pigment, particularly melanin, from being properly deposited on a bird’s feathers. Birds with leucism are white (or paler).

In Australia these birds are very rare. One or two have been seen in Woolongong in New South Wales.
It will be able to mate, and the genetic mutation may be passed on to progeny.
Although leucism is inherited, the extent and positioning of the white coloration can vary between adults and their young and can also skip generations.

 

[Andy Adcock]

A very rare white Kookaburra seen and photographed by a lucky person in Queensland.
It is most probably the result of a condition called leucism
Leucism, is an abnormal plumage condition caused by a genetic mutation that prevents pigment, particularly melanin, from being properly deposited on a bird’s feathers. Birds with leucism are white (or paler).

In Australia these birds are very rare. One or two have been seen in Woolongong in New South Wales.
It will be able to mate, and the genetic mutation may be passed on to progeny.
Although leucism is inherited, the extent and positioning of the white coloration can vary between adults and their young and can also skip generations.

If it lacks pigment totally, including eyes and bare parts, it's albinism.

 

[Strontium Dog]

It has dark eyes, so leucistic.

 

[wolfbirder]

Any photo?

 

[greykangaroo]

No sorry, it was removed because of over moderation.
I wanted all people on the forum to see this actually.

 

[Jos Stratford]

No sorry, it was removed because of over moderation.
I wanted all people on the forum to see this actually.

All we did was ask you to link to the story/photos rather than post the images without even acknowledging the photographer.

Link to photo and news article HERE.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Image seems to show albinism rather than leucism.

 

[greykangaroo]

All we did was ask you to link to the story/photos rather than post the images without even acknowledging the photographer.

Link to photo and news article HERE.

Alright, but what happens next time? There wont be a magical 'HERE' there to abide by the rules.
People at ground level like me didn't know how to link anything.

 

[01101001]

You paste the link from the search field, and it transforms itself into an active URL.

https://www.birdforum.net/threads/a-pure-white-kookaburra.454922/

That's a beautiful bird, by the way.

 

[Andy Lakin]

I can't believe the museum expert couldn't work out whether it was a case of albinism or leucism. Do Kookaburras actually feed on chickens as stated in the linked article! I'm guessing they meant chicks if so some very sloppy journalism.

 

[Strontium Dog]

The article posted is from 2013. Different bird.

 

[01101001]

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[greykangaroo]

In fact it would possibly be both. Kookaburras would swoop on chickens in the fowl yard as well as rob nests of chicks.
I was looking at a large red wattle bird on a limb down the park doing that loud noise it makes with its head in the air when a kookaburra tore down and grabbed it off the tree limb.
In fact crows really are the culprits with chicken snatching in most cases in the West. In NSW it is currawongs.
With nest robbing, the champion nest robber is the butcher bird, but they aren’t big enough to take fowl chickens.