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 =========================================================