Albinistic house sparrow...

BigBadger · #1 (**permalink**) 13-01-2009, 04:16 AM

My old man has spotted a house sparrow with 3/4 of each wing in pure white. I am going to have to hunt it down for a photograph.
Does anyone know how common this is? I have seen it in black birds but never in house sparrows.

Wild-Woman · #2 (**permalink**) 13-01-2009, 06:14 AM

You sometimes get the odd sparrow with the odd fether or two white and I'd say they were fairly common. The amount you describe, less so but they are about.

nakedgardener · #3 (**permalink**) 13-01-2009, 07:28 AM

It is quite common in all sorts of birds, but it's more obvious in black coloured birds, like Crows and Blackbirds.

Technically speaking, albinoes are animals that have no pigmentation, so are completely white and have pink eyes and skin. The term leucistic is used for partial lack of pigment

BigBadger · #4 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 02:08 PM

Thank you both for your help. I have not spotted it yet, but annoyingly my wife and ten year old son have. Lol. Just my luck.

andywolves · #5 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 05:25 PM

This is a particularly interesting thread that may shed a little light on leucism.

Leucistic Birds have you seen any ?

heimdal · #6 (**permalink**) 14-01-2009, 05:56 PM

I may have posted this pic previously, but this female sparrow has been a regular visitor to our garden for about 18 months. I am pleased and surprised she has survived the local predators for so long.