Sunday Showcase: Leucistic Sparrow

Jahzi Van Iderstine saw this leucistic House Sparrow in her yard in Airdrie, just north of Calgary, in mid-August. It appears to be a young House Sparrow as it is associating with them and has been seen begging from a female House Sparrow.  All photos by Jahzi Van Iderstine.

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The bird has dark eyes, so it is not an albino, but it is almost completely white and actually appears a bit pinkish. Leucism is a condition in which some of the dark and coloured pigments are missing from a bird’s feathers.

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Here it is with other House Sparrows:

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And below it is begging from a female House Sparrow who has a sunflower seed:

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Here are a few more photos of this striking bird:

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