White Headed Chaffinch

[LovesRaptors]

This bird is a regular visitor to my back garden, anyones thoughts on

What looks to be a male white headed Chaffinch the bird has a touch of

black on the head very pink legs, dark eyes, and a little black on the bill.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3439546024_74f0c100a5.jpg?v=0

 

[purpleclouds]

That's unusual colouring! I've no idea about it...but nicely spotted

 

[gemini]

He's nice, looks like he's got a white crash helmet on

Alison

 

[LovesRaptors]

Thanks Alison, photo does not do him justice, better seen in the feather

 

[crusher]

Well spotted and taken

Very unusual colouring - some sort of partial-albino maybe?

 

[GarynLea]

I think the term is 'leucism' and is quite common in blackbirds but I've never seen a chaffinch that suffers from it .. certainly makes him stand out from the crowd.

 

[retired]

very unusual indeed, never seen anything like this one.

 

[Just Dave]

There seem to be quite a few leucistic birds spotted this year, well spotted, nice to see it

 

[grumpybadger]

Interesting. When I was a kid, we had a leucistic thrush in the garden with a white patch on top of his head - so we called him the Pope!

We also had a leucistic blackbird a few years earlier.

 

[LovesRaptors]

Paul could you tell me is there a chance this bird will breed and will his offspring be the same? Thanks John

 

[grumpybadger]

From the one's we had as a kid, there appeared to be offspring but each generation it had less white.

 

[tiny tim]

unusual ...if it was a cage bird it would be worth a bit