A Blackbird mutation

Gaudette

Full Member
Aug 24, 2012
872
17
Cambs
Now and again i come across birds with strange mutations in their plumage. Spotted this whiteheaded blackbird today. Sorry about picture quality.

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Dec 10, 2015
422
184
South Wales
Its a genetic issue known as leucistic its fairly common in crow species. I have a carrion crow that visits the field behind my home where it has it on its wings
 

CLEM

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 10, 2004
2,458
462
Stourbridge
When I was a kid we had an albino blackbird that visited the back garden regularly for a while, and a one legged un for a time too.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
Under average circumstances, what should that blackbird's head color be?
More common in our mid-west, we have a yellow-headed blackbird.

There is a genetic lineage of white ravens on the islands of Haida Gwaii, just off our west coast.
Several very dramatic new pictures in the last month or so.
 

Damascus

Native
Dec 3, 2005
1,698
224
66
Norwich
when my children were little, we had a resident black bird with a white spot at side of its head and my eldest who was 3 at the time, couldn't say "sp", it was "f" so was known as "fot" and every since all black birds in our home are know as "Fot's"!
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
45
North Yorkshire, UK
Thanks for the picture Robbi. Appreciate seeing wildlife in other countries.
They aren't an exciting-looking bird but have a wide variety of songs and can imitate most other birds. If one is singing on a summer's day and you whistle a tune at it, quite often it will sing back the same tune.
 

Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
Not to worry. I always enjoy seeing what sorts of wildlife inhabit different areas.
Got a lead to a local photographer in NYorks while I was there.
Bought a color canvas print of a Red Grouse in the heather to hang on my wall here.

I think you all would enjoy watching the male Rufous humming birds fight and scream at eachother.
Mostly display but I have actually seen them hit eachother on a few occassions.
Then we will go game-spotting for all the 4-legged things, the cats and bigger.
 

daveO

Native
Jun 22, 2009
1,459
525
South Wales
I saw this one in the garden a few years ago. Typically I had the wrong lens on the camera so only got a quick distant pic. Made me wonder if the white makes them more of a target for predators or if they get treated like magpies.

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Robson Valley

On a new journey
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,669
McBride, BC
I'll guess that among tree branches against the sky, that's pretty good break-up camo.
But then again, why don't they all look like that, it it's so good?
I may not norice but the change may not affect behaviour = species character.

The humming birds have just arrived this week, a flight of some 4600+km from their wintering grounds in SE Mexico.
All in full breeding plumage. The male Rufous are rusty with a bib front of blinding red/gold iridescent feathers.
Too fast for my cruddy little camera.
 

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