[TN-Bird] Re: albino European Starling

Jeff Wilson:
Thanks for the information about the cream colored leucistic starlings.  I 
appreciate all you do for TN-Birds Net and for guys like me who ain't smart 
enough to get in out of the rain.  Keep the good info flowing.  Thanks again.

Let's go birding. 

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx 
  To: jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx ; tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Monday, June 09, 2003 7:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [TN-Bird] albino European Starling


  Wallace and TN-Birders,

  Cream colored Starlings are not to uncommon in the huge flocks over here in 
west TN. I usually see at least one or more each season at Ensley when flocks 
of many thousands group up. These over here are leucistic, a condition closely 
allied to albinism which is a dilution of color over the body rather than 
complete or partial albinism which produce pure white feathers over the body or 
in specific areas which might be symmetrical or not. As leucistic, the birds 
quite often show subtle variances in the off white or sandy color that belie 
the locations and patterns seen in colorful, normal adult birds. This is 
especially noted in ducks. 

  I've never seen a pure albino Starling in the field but I do have photos of a 
young full albino Grackle that had pink eyes and stark white plumage which I 
will share with anyone interested. Since I have seen lots of leucistic birds in 
the wild of various species but only one true albino, I would assume for 
various reasons other than just color, the true albinos have many other 
physical difficulties other than color. Most true albino animals are usually 
seen only in captivity and probably then probably only through the protection 
they get from human care.


  Good Birding!!!

  Jeff R. Wilson
  OL' COOT / TLBA
  Bartlett Tenn. 
=================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
=========================================================

Other related posts: