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How to Tell if a Bird Is Albino | Audubon
Not all white birds are albino, and not all albino birds are white.
By Andrea Alfano
September 09, 2015
Popular Stories
It’s shaped like a robin, sings like a robin, and acts like a robin. But if it's a robin, where is its cheery red breast?
For those of you lucky enough to spot a pure-white American Robin, you might think you've seen a ghost—or an albino. But make sure to check its eyes, too. If it's albino, its eyes will be red or pink.
On the other hand, pale-feathered birds with normally colored eyes have a condition known as leucism. Unlike albino birds, which completely lack the natural pigment known as melanin, leucistic birds produce melanin but can't deposit it into their feathers. Some may even have partial leucism, resulting in a “pied” appearance.
Melanin is responsible for any black or brown color on birds, dogs, snakes, and humans. (Some brightly hued birds have so much melanin that their plumage turns completely black—a variation known as melanism.) The pigment is widespread partly because these colors are useful for camouflage. Meanwhile, albino animals are highly visible to predators, especially outside of snowy habitats.
Melanin is also essential to a bird's feathers: It makes them strong and durable. The pigment plays an important role in the eye, too, allowing it to function properly and protecting it from damaging UV rays. That's why true albino birds have impaired vision, and rarely make it to adulthood. If the bizarre-colored bird at your feeder looks like an adult, there’s a good chance it’s actually leucistic and not albino.
Not all white birds are albino, and not all albino birds are white.
By Andrea Alfano
September 09, 2015
Popular Stories
It’s shaped like a robin, sings like a robin, and acts like a robin. But if it's a robin, where is its cheery red breast?
For those of you lucky enough to spot a pure-white American Robin, you might think you've seen a ghost—or an albino. But make sure to check its eyes, too. If it's albino, its eyes will be red or pink.
On the other hand, pale-feathered birds with normally colored eyes have a condition known as leucism. Unlike albino birds, which completely lack the natural pigment known as melanin, leucistic birds produce melanin but can't deposit it into their feathers. Some may even have partial leucism, resulting in a “pied” appearance.
Melanin is responsible for any black or brown color on birds, dogs, snakes, and humans. (Some brightly hued birds have so much melanin that their plumage turns completely black—a variation known as melanism.) The pigment is widespread partly because these colors are useful for camouflage. Meanwhile, albino animals are highly visible to predators, especially outside of snowy habitats.
Melanin is also essential to a bird's feathers: It makes them strong and durable. The pigment plays an important role in the eye, too, allowing it to function properly and protecting it from damaging UV rays. That's why true albino birds have impaired vision, and rarely make it to adulthood. If the bizarre-colored bird at your feeder looks like an adult, there’s a good chance it’s actually leucistic and not albino.
