Subject: Re: albinism in birds
Date: Mar 16 16:49:32 1995
From: Jon Anderson - anderjda at dfw.wa.gov


Serge, you noted that the various Rock Dove plumages in the Jardin des
Plantes, as well as in other urban environments, might be due to the lack
of predators in the city.

I wonder whether this hypothesis might be refuted by the wide variation
in the large RURAL Rock Dove populations. These birds are plentiful
along the Columbia River gorge and eastward along the 'rimrock' along
I-84 past Arlington and Umatilla, Oregon.

The raptor populations are relatively (to the cities, certainly) high in
this area, yet the pigeons exhibit every plumage imaginable.

Food for thought.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, WA
anderjda at dfw.wa.gov