Subject: Just how common is an albino finch?
Date: Oct 11 20:10:27 2002
From: Eugene Kridler - kridler at olypen.com


I guess not too common. Since I started banding again in 1986, I've banded
5,062 House Finches so far, and only had two albinistc type birds of this
species. Both taken in the same trap at the same time in 1987. .Possibly
from the same brood. But my birds had pink eyes. Plumage a very light biege
all over. No markings.

Perhaps other people have found them to be more common than me. .

Gene Kridler
Ye Olde Tired & Retired Wildlife Biologist
Sqirm - er- Sequim, Wa.



Rob McNair-Huff wrote:

> For the last week or so Natalie and I have been watching an albino House
> Finch feeding in our yard in North Tacoma, and I am curious just how
> common these birds are in the area? The bird is the same size as a
> standard House Finch, with a dark eye, but its plumage is a light tan
> tone throughout and it has lighter colored legs and a lighter beak than
> its relatives. It is feeding on black oil sunflower seeds and the only
> difference in its behavior to the rest of the finches is that it is much
> more skittish, only staying at the feeder for a short time and staying
> much more still in the snowball bush when it sits there between bouts at
> the feeder.
>
> --
> Rob McNair-Huff <mailto:rob at whiterabbits.com>
> White Rabbit Publishing <http://www.whiterabbits.com>
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