Wednesday, July 29, 2009

albino visits





Charles and Janet Dempster sent this photo to me by way Patrick Hurst. I spoke to them recently about the albino tufted titmouse that had been visiting their bird feeder.

Albinism is a genetic condition caused by the emergence of a recessive gene. Albinos have missing color pigments. If a bird has it, it can be solid white or only partially so. Sometimes, a bird may have only one white feather. Several years ago, I had a Carolina chickadee coming to my feeder that had a white head. The rest of it appeared normally pigmented.

Also, note the homemade squirrel baffle that Charles made. He said it works great at keeping gray squirrels out of his feeder, but not so good on raccoons.

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