Author Topic: Blackbirds with white bits (Read 1583 times)

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.

henchard · « **Reply #1 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

Steph Hen · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2019, 04:37:03 pm »

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

PK · « **Reply #3 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.