Semi-albino blackbird? (1 Viewer)

[simon1003]

Hi, My friend has had this strange bird visiting his garden for the past 3 years, we aren't birdwatchers, but would we be right in assuming that it's a semi-albino blackbird?
Thanks.

 

[robinm]

Hi Simon,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin.

I would agree that this is a "partial albino" or leucistic Blackbird. Given its obvious visibility I am amazed it has survived for 3 years.

 

[simon1003]

Hi Simon,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin.

I would agree that this is a "partial albino" or leucistic Blackbird. Given its obvious visibility I am amazed it has survived for 3 years.

Thanks Robin.

I too would have thought that the bird would be an easy target, but obvisouly not.

My friend says that it's a 'feisty little bugger' and doesn't take any crap off the other birds when feeding.

Are they rare? I remember seeing a totally white one on TV and on the web there are pics of ones with a few white feathers, but this ones pumage looks as if it was meant to be that colour, if you know what I mean.

 

[robinm]

Hi again,

They are not that rare. I had one in my garden a few years back.

 

[Jane Turner]

Blackbird seems to be just about the most common partial or full albino. I don't know whether that is due to a higher incidence of albinism or a higher survival rate than for most albinos. My experience also shows that white feathers do not act as a handicap when it comes to attracting a mate.

 

[CJW]

My experience also shows that white feathers do not act as a handicap when it comes to attracting a mate.

Where do you wear them, Jane?

 

[Jane Turner]

Where do you wear them, Jane?

Use your imagination Chris

 

[lou salomon]

talking about leucistic blackbirds: as far as i know such birds usually are either totally white or mottled black & white. back in late autumn 1981 i saw one that was plain light grey! the colour was similar to the mantle-colour of e.g. black-headed gull. has anybody seen something like this? first i thought it would be an eastern rarity but then it called like a normal blackbird. also it moved like a typic turdus merula. pity enough i was a young teenager and didn't have any camera. and i never saw that bird again...

 

[Nutcracker]

talking about leucistic blackbirds: as far as i know such birds usually are either totally white or mottled black & white. back in late autumn 1981 i saw one that was plain light grey! the colour was similar to the mantle-colour of e.g. black-headed gull. has anybody seen something like this? first i thought it would be an eastern rarity but then it called like a normal blackbird. also it moved like a typic turdus merula. pity enough i was a young teenager and didn't have any camera. and i never saw that bird again...

mottled black and white = partial albino

uniform pale grey = leucistic

 

[Binocularface]

mottled black and white = partial albino

uniform pale grey = leucistic

From my understanding of the various terms used to describe colour abberancies in birds I would suggest that Simon's Blackbird is a 'Partial Leucistic' bird as it has completely lost pigment from localised areas on the plumage and has NOT lost any pigmentation from the bare parts.

I would also suggest that Lou's Blackbird is probably best described as a Schizochroic individual, as it is probably only lacking one pigment in the plumage. It is probably more likely that this grey individual is a 2nd or 3rd generation bird descended from a 1st generation schizochroic parent (as the schizochroic gene is apparently reggresive).

ATB
Tristan

 

[luke]

nice lookig bird wat ever it is, i'd say albino.

 

[Marian James]

Saw a blackbird with a half black half white tail in car park at Fosse meadows nature reserve' He had a mate with him. Incidentallythe car park is great for birds, the trees are festooned with feeders, fat balls etc. a host of birds including tree sparrows which I do not see in my garden(West Midlands)