Among birds that get really interesting when they tend to albinism are male
Red-winged Blackbirds. An apparently underlying pattern is exposed when
black pigment is missing from parts of the bird. There seems to be a
particular syndrome that results in a bird with a tail pattern something
like a male redstart, with black central feathers and black tips to all the
feathers; otherwise white. These same birds may show a white (or pink--the
carotenoids were hidden by the black!) lower breast and belly, sharply
demarcated from the black head and upper breast. The fore edge of the wing
(marginal coverts) may be bright red like the lesser coverts. The back may
show some indication of streaking. The underparts may be white, fairly
heavily streaked with black (a femalelike plumage normally hidden by the
black pigment).

I've seen two of these birds, one on the Skagit Flats and another in our
collection here. The one on the Skagit Flats was perceived by the first
observers to be an exotic oriole, a prime example of "if you don't know
what it is, it must be a rare species."

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416