FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: White Squirrel

["Mayhorn" <mayhorn@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Michael and Cathy,
I have read that in most wildlife groups a member that is an albino is
usually ostracized by the rest of the group. I don't know the reason. I'm
not sure if anyone has figured out why. One would think that if the other
members didn't recognize it as a member of their species they would ignore
it, as they tend to do other species. Instead the other members seem to go
out of their way to attempt to drive the albino away. Whatever the reason it
does seem that the "different" one is at the lowest level of the social
hierarchy.

Roger Mayhorn
Grundy, VA

-----Original Message-----
From: va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:va-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Michael Shapiro
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 6:56 PM
To: Virginia Bird listserv
Subject: [va-bird] Re: White Squirrel


An interesting theory. I was thinking that maybe they don't recognize a
leucistic or albino animal as another member of their species. Maybe the
House Sparrows thought the albino was another bird and not a House Sparrow?
House Sparrows aren't exactly inconspicuous in normal plumage, sitting on a
railing or on top of a green bush. Just a theory. Anyone have any other
thoughts?

Michael Shapiro
Richmond

----- Original Message -----
From: "John & Cathy Messina" <jncmessina@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Va Bird List" <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Va Bird listserver"
<va-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 12:35 PM
Subject: [va-bird] White Squirrel


>
> While watching out my window in Alexandria as the usual neighborhood
> birds were eating seed, my husband and I saw a young, white squirrel. It
> was not albinistic, as it had gray hairs mixed sporadically throughout
> all the white fur and had dark eyes, but it was strikingly light
> colored. It apparently came with its mother, who seemed to be a typical
> gray squirrel, and we enjoyed watching them both eat our seed for about
> 15 minutes. Another adult squirrel then arrived and attacked the white
> squirrel with unusual intensity. This adult wasn't content merely to
> drive the youngster away from the food, as is the rule here, but chased
> it all over the brick work of our home and bit the youngster whenever it
> could. The two ran away from sight over the rooftop, with the adult in
> hot pursuit and the youngster screeching.
>
> This behavior reminded me of the time several years ago when I saw an
> albinistic house sparrow show up on a bush near our home, then get
> mobbed by some other house sparrows in a noisy attack. The mob kept up
> the assault wherever the white bird landed, until all eventually flew
> off down the road. Is this response by the group toward an albinistic
> member of the same species typical? I can imagine that because white fur
> or feathers makes a creature a good target for predators around here,
> other members of the species might want to keep it away from them. Any
> thoughts?
>
> Cathy Messina
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