It's possible the chickadee is leucistic (partial albino-- the
correct terminology seems to vary across scientific fields). Black-capped
Chickadees with unusual pale or white plumage, usually on the back and
head, are regularly photographed and reported on the Western Washington
Birders Facebook group.



On Wed, Sep 29, 2021 at 3:29 PM Doug Schonewald <dschone8 at donobi.net> wrote:


> While that may be true in many instances I have had a DEJU in my feeders

> for two winters in a row that has a tail with the outer, left rectrice that

> is white. It has been white for two years now and I expect if the bird has

> survived another year it will be white this year as well. We have

> affectionately nicknamed him 'white-butt'

>

> Cheers

>

> Doug

>

> --- dgrainger at birdsbydave.com wrote:

>

> From: dgrainger at birdsbydave.com

> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>

> Subject: [Tweeters] More info : Black-Capped Chickadee with white tail

> Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2021 15:06:48 -0700

>

> Did a bit of Googling, found the following appearing on a couple of

> sites: "the white tail is sometimes caused by normally colored tail

> feathers being dropped during a fright molt, growing back in white. It

> will return to normal on the following molt."

>

> -------- Original Message --------

> Subject: Black-Capped Chickadee with white tail

> Date: 2021-09-29 14:54

> From: dgrainger at birdsbydave.com

> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>

>

> There is a Black-Capped Chickadee on our feeders with a white tail. I

> took a number of photos (Port Townsend, WA on Castle Hill.) I am curious

> as to whether this is an aberration or is it simply a molt phase where a

> black feather is gone revealing a white one... I would be happy to email

> the image privately to anyone that would look at it and advise... Dave

> Grainger

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>

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>



--
Steve Hampton
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