The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Smallholding => Wildlife => Topic started by: PK on March 12, 2019, 03:07:16 pm

Title: Blackbirds with white bits
Post by: PK on March 12, 2019, 03:07:16 pm

Over the last three or four years I’ve seen on maybe half a dozen ocassions blackbirds with white heads or around the neck and shoulders. Has anyone else seen this? I have not noticed this prior to a few years ago. I saw another one this morning.

Title: Re: Blackbirds with white bits
Post by: henchard on March 12, 2019, 03:22:57 pm

It's known as leucism, see
https://www.bto.org/news-events/press-releases/when-blackbird-not-blackbird (https://www.bto.org/news-events/press-releases/when-blackbird-not-blackbird)

Title: Re: Blackbirds with white bits
Post by: Steph Hen on March 12, 2019, 04:37:03 pm

We’ve got one (In Angus) never seen the like before either.

Title: Re: Blackbirds with white bits
Post by: PK on March 12, 2019, 04:44:50 pm

Thats interesting Henchard, thanks. The ones that I have seen have all had distinct blocks of white rather than the spattered look in the images accompanying the article and other images on line. It seems it not clear why leucism is increasingly found.