FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Albinistic/leucistic Eastern Kingbird (Greene Co., TN)

[Don Miller <raincrow@xxxxxxx>]

June 9, 2006
At about 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 8, I observed an 
albinistic/leucistic Eastern Kingbird at 1892 Shiloh Road in Tusculum, 
Greene County.  (The bird has been there for at least several days and 
was recently reported by the property owner to Don Holt, who saw it 
briefly a couple of days ago and notified me.  I hope that Don will post 
his observations also.)

I watched the bird for about ten minutes and noted the following:

plumage: white overall with limited dark brownish gray at the bend of 
the wing, in the primaries, in the tertials, and in the rectrices;

rectrices: short and spiky, suggestive of tail feathers of Bobolink;

bill: dull pink;

eyes: black

legs: black

voice: typical "electric spark" vocalization of Eastern Kingbird.

I saw the left wing well for several minutes when the bird was perched 
but was not able to get much of a look at the right wing.  In the brief 
view that I got, I formed the impression that the dark coloration on the 
wings was symmetrical, or nearly so.  The overall jizz of the bird was 
typical of Eastern Kingbird except for the short, pointy-feathered 
tail.  This was far more surprising to me than the white plumage.  I 
could not determine if the rectrices were damaged or natural.  The bird 
remained perched for most of the time I viewed it, but it sallied 
several times, often vocalizing while in flight.

Thoughts, anyone?

Don Miller
Greeneville, Greene Co., TN
   


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