How to Tell If a Bird Is Albino
Not all white birds are albino, and not all albino birds are white.
It’s shaped like a robin,Ìýsings like a robin, andÌýacts like a robin. But if it's a robin, where is its cheery red breast?
For those of you lucky enough toÌýspot a pure-white American Robin, you might think you've seenÌýaÌýghost—or anÌýalbino. But make sure to check its eyes, too. If it'sÌýalbino, its eyes will be .
On the other hand, pale-feathered birds with normallyÌýcolored eyes have a condition known asÌýleucism. Unlike albino birds, which completely lack the naturalÌýpigment known asÌýmelanin, leucistic birdsÌýproduceÌýmelanin butÌý into theirÌýfeathers.ÌýSome may even have partial leucism,Ìýresulting in a .
Melanin any black or brown color on birds, dogs, snakes, and humans. (Some brightly hued birds have so much melanin that theirÌýplumageÌýturnsÌýcompletely black—a variation known as melanism.)ÌýThe pigment is widespread partly because these colors areÌýusefulÌýfor camouflage. Meanwhile, albino animalsÌýare highly visible to predators, especially outside of snowy habitats.Ìý
Melanin is also essential to a bird's feathers: It makes them strong and durable. The pigmentÌý in the eye, too, allowing it to function properly and protecting it from damaging UV rays.ÌýThat's why true albino birds have impaired vision,Ìýand rarelyÌýmake it to adulthood. If the bizarre-coloredÌýbird at your feeder looks like an adult, there’s a good chance it’s actually leucistic and not albino.
Here's another twist: True albino birds might still be colorful. Albinos don't haveÌýmelanin, but often holdÌý in their feathers. For example, carotenoids are responsible for redÌýand yellow feathers, which means an albino Northern CardinalÌýcan still beÌýcrimson.
When it comes to identifying albino birds, feathers can be deceptive. So if you see a white bird at your feeder, remember that the eyes don’t lie.
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