| Re: Pied Birds
Sounds like partial albinism. Both parents need to carry the defective gene for this to occur; and is usually seen in a good number of their feathers. Obviously a full albino bird would be all white; and tend to not live too long, as they fall to predators a lot quicker.
Disease or injury can cause the odd feather to grow without pigment.
A 'leucistic' bird tends to be a paler than normal colour.
Tom |