A leucistic robin was photographed in Kamloops on April 9, 2022.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Diane Waugh
April 16, 2022 - 8:00 AM
An unusual visitor appeared at a front yard in Kamloops a few days ago.
Resident Diane Waugh was able to spot and capture photos of a robin with a rare colouring on April 9, 2022.
The robin has been identified by experienced birders in the area, including Kurt Huston of Wild Birds Unlimited as a Leucistic Robin, meaning it is not a true albino, but has a partial loss of pigment allowing some of the feathers to retain their normal coloration, and most importantly, the retention of color in a bird’s feet, beak, and eyes.
“You see this leucistic colouration occasionally with various birds, but it is fairly uncommon,” Huston said. “I’ve personally never seen it with a robin. This is the first report I’ve heard of a leucistic robin in this area. I think it would be safe to call that pretty rare.”
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Waugh said she doesn’t know very much about birds and she has not seen the bird since.
“I saw this white bird fly into my yard to drink out of a puddle and realized it was a robin and I took the picture to share the unique experience with others,” she said. “We feel special to have seen this rare bird and hope to see it again. Apparently one in thirty thousand can be spotted, so we feel very lucky.”
If you are in Kamloops, keep your eyes open and cameras ready for this special bird.
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