Is this a winter thing ?

[violaceus]

Over the last week I have seen a blackbird (in local park) with a collar of white feathers and odd white feathers on its back. It was definitely a blackbird in shape and size and was scratching and flicking the leaves about (as blackbirds do). A couple of days later a robin came to the feeders in my back garden and it had a distinct white feather in its tail. Also a sparrow visited the feeders and it had a white wing feather.

[aeshna5]

Not a winter thing- these birds are showing partial leucism- there are some ol lenthy threads on leucism/albinism. Blackbirds seem more prone to showing aberrant white feathers (lack of pigment) than any other UK species.