Bill,
It’s my understanding that predacious birds see primarily in infrared. In that
case the white may actually serve as a unintentional camouflage.
Of course I know none of this to be fact, only details I remember from some
previous TV show or conversation.
I’d be interested in your knowledge on the subject.
Don Carrier
From: bcbirdclub-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bcbirdclub-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of wdunson@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, July 2, 2015 8:49 AM
To: Westernvancnature
Cc: Club, Buchanan
Subject: [bcbirdclub] White bird lives !
Our resident white bird (thought to be a mutant red winged blackbird) is still
alive and hanging out in the same place near our VA farm house on July 1. It
is shy and I have to be content with distant photos with a 50x zoom lens.
Despite haying activities and noise, the white bird moves around between the
hayfield and adjoining overgrown fields and tree lines of black cherries and
low bushes.
It is interesting that such an obvious bird which stands out against the green
background has not been taken by a predator. Although there are not actually
many potential aerial predators since Cooper's hawks are quite scarce here this
time of year and there are no red shouldered hawks. We have only a few red
tails which I think specialize on mammals as prey. Redwings often chase ravens
and crows which fly over, but this is likely related to the possible predation
on nests.
Of course the normal redwing males are black with bright red
epaulets/shoulders, which are highly visible during displays. In between
displays the red feathers are mostly tucked behind some dark feathers. Female
redwings are cryptic with streaked brown feathers.
Bill
