albino Blackbird

[Katja2i3]

Hi,
how can I know when a blackbird is entirely albino or not?
Here is a picture of a bird looking like albino (isn't it?), as for me that bird is all white, but a person who took the pic wrote it's not entirely albino.

How can I know which one definetly IS albino blackbird and which is not (without DNA testing :-))?

here is the pic




I saw albino Blackbird in the bird's Gallery Natural History Museum, I assume it Really is albino bird :-)
But what if I see one in the wild?

[glsammy]

As it's my image, and I made that comment, I'll reply first!

To be a true albino, it would have no colour pigmentation anywhere, as you can see in this shot, there's colour in the eyes of the bird. A true albino would have pinkish eyes.

I'm always willing to be corrected if I'm wrong.

[squishy]

wow! i've seen pictures of this in starlings and sparrows, but never blackbirds before... apparently its very rare.

a lovely whitebird

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by squishy

wow! i've seen pictures of this in starlings and sparrows, but never blackbirds before... apparently its very rare.

a lovely whitebird

This bird is well know at Rufford park, although it's not been seen for the last couple of months or so. It's been there for a good 3 years to my knowledge.
Here's a few more shots of it.

[shei111]

Nice pics , Ithink its nice looking white bird (black) sheila

[galanthus]

Wow, that's amazing How come it hasn't been bullied to it's demise by other birds then ? I remember watching an albino corvid in a flock and some chap saying it wouldn't last long because it stuck out .

[Pete Collins]

Nice photos (as always!) Graham.

I'm interested that such a bird has survived for three years or more. Do you know whether or not it has bred during that time, and if so were the offspring also white or partly white?

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

Nice photos (as always!) Graham.

I'm interested that such a bird has survived for three years or more. Do you know whether or not it has bred during that time, and if so were the offspring also white or partly white?

I've not seen any evidence that it has bred. It mixes freely with the other thrushes, without any signs of any problems.

[Katja2i3]

Originally Posted by glsammy

As it's my image, and I made that comment, I'll reply first!

To be a true albino, it would have no colour pigmentation anywhere, as you can see in this shot, there's colour in the eyes of the bird. A true albino would have pinkish eyes.

I'm always willing to be corrected if I'm wrong.

Thanks for your reply!!! Yeah, I thought about the eyes actually, hmm, so a truly albino blackbird would have eyes like this wonderful rat:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Rat_albino.JPG...

I need to check at the photo taken at NHM (thinks, thinks...) well ... but bird from NHM was actually prepared by taxidermist (I guess) so his/her eyes would be ...made of glass...

OK. Who really saw a blackbird albino?!!! How did the bird look like :-)
???

I will make a little research and let you all know...

Thanks a lot!

[Katja2i3]

[quote=glsammy;388986]This bird is well know at Rufford park, although it's not been seen for the last couple of months or so. It's been there for a good 3 years to my knowledge.
Here's a few more shots of it.


It's absolutely wonderfull bird. I love blackbirds. And that one looks lovely with black eyes! I didn't know there are albino blackbirds, I saw one at the NHM last Saturday and I was absolutely amazed.

By the way, The Darwin Exhibition at NHM is (lack of words), is THE BEST. If you have the chance just GOOOOO!!! AND SEE.