Today the garden had an unusal visitor who will, perhaps, be a temporary resident: a white eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis). Technically, I suppose she is leucistic, because she retains some faint, diluted color, and her eyes and beak are pigmented. A true albino would have completely white feathers and pink eyes.
I assume she is a female, because she was with a normally colored male who was busily stuffing pine needles into the nest box. I’m a little surprised, not only by the white bluebird, but also that a new pair is moving in. There was another pair nesting in that box earlier in the spring, and just before Easter, I saw a clutch of eggs when I quickly looked in. I suppose the young might have left the nest in the last few days, but if so, this new pair have moved very quickly. Actually, I suppose this could be the same male, with a new lady friend. The previous female was normally colored, but I can’t tell the males apart.
If this pair produces a clutch, it will be interesting to see if any of the fledglings are leucistic. Perhaps not, if the trait is recessive, unless the male is also a carrier.
I’ve never seen a photo of a leucistic bird.
Very interesting.
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