Hi

Sounds like a great looking bird!

Somebody else can respond as to the cause but albinics/leucistics show up
at a very low percentage. In a large flock that is carefully scanned some
'deviants' will quite often be found. On our Vancouver, BC trip a Starling
with a white tail was seen (not by me). In Stanley Park at the Harris's
Sparrow locale there is a very striking, partially leucistic Fox Sparrow
with white streaks and patches that account for about half its plumage.
East of Salem, OR there was a relatively easily seen 'all white Red-Tailed
Hawk". Spectacular!! We have an albinic Junco that visits our back porch
infrequently over the past six months that shows the faintest 'hood'
markings if you are within 4-5 feet.

They are always worth looking at --- the question is, "How long do they
survive compared to normally colored species?" Like Ruth Sullivan's
White-throated Sparrow and the Yellow-throated Warbler in BC they must
stand out from the crowd and even more likely become prey for Sharpie's.

Bob
Federal Way, WA
taylorrt at foxinternet.net

----------
> From: Laurel Cheap <lcheap at cac.washington.edu>
> To: Northwest birding email <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: red-winged blackbird with white tail feathers
> Date: Tuesday, January 27, 1998 7:40 AM
>
>
> >Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 10:23:46 EST
> >From: TA96SSDCM at aol.com
> >To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> >Subject: Rusty Blackbird
> >
> [snip]
> >In the flock of Red-Wings is a Male with all white inner tail
> >feathers and black outers, very unusal and pretty.
> [snip]
>
> Wow, I was sure I saw one just like this on Spencer Island a month or
> two ago but a fellow birder refused to believe me. It's nice to know
> that there's a chance I wasn't totally insane. :)
>
> Does anyone know what causes this type of coloration?
>
> Laurel Cheap
> Lake Stevens, WA
> lcheap at u.washington.edu