Thanks for replying. I looked at your albino, and my bird does not have nearly as much white on it. It's tail is white with about a two to three feather wide fawn colored strip down the middle, just a little white edge on the bend of the wing and a white dot where a second wing bar would be. Otherwise, its back is all a shade or two lighter than a field sparrow. It has the flesh pink bill and legs, but I have not spotted an eye ring. My guess has been that it is a field sparrow, but I really cannot call it for sure. The bird has been here all morning, feeding on seed on my deck then retreating to the edge of the deck under the cover and a huge wild grape vine which rambles from the northeast corner of my deck all the way across the east, half way around the south end and half way around the north end. Cardinals and wrens have been using it for cover this summer as well. I last saw the bird about 12:30 when it took cover after a big meal in the company of rock doves, mourning doves and cardinals. It DOES NOT seem to want to eat when the house finches and house sparrows are down there. It seems to like to eat with the "big boys" probably for protection as it may be outcast from its own kind because it is "different." The bird seems to be having a problem with its left leg. It appears to be hopping only on the right leg. When it flies, it uses its wings to touch the deck floor for balance while it gets its bearings. When it has flown to a spot where it needs to "grasp" with its toes to perch, it seems to teeter. At times, it appears to be trying to walk across the feeding area rather than hop. It is my strong suspicion that it is a slightly albinistic field sparrow as I am pretty sure they do live year around about a mile away from me (in Bell's Bend, across the Cumberland River). They usually sneak over to my feeder when it gets cold. The bird is too close by for my binoculars to help me much (they are 10 X 50 Bushnells), and my cataract edged eyeballs cannot focus in on everything, so I am probably missing some prime markings. As of this point, the sweet little thing is just a mystery bird that I will keep on feeding as long as it stays and survives. Dee Thompson Nashville, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx (423) 764-3958 =========================================================