I received this photo this past week from a feederwatcher in Orr. This odd looking Redpoll is what is called partially leucistic. The term leucistic (loo-sys-tic) is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals. It’s not an albino. Albinos would have pink eyes. Some leucistic birds and animals will still have normal coloration on other parts of their body, and some will be almost completely white. Most notably this Common Redpoll still has dark colored eyes and most of it’s body is a normal patterned Redpoll.
The funny thing is, is that I think I had the very same Redpoll at my house in Crane Lake. I tried in vain to get a good photo like the one above, but this is all I could muster. A very blurry photo, but it looks like it could be the same bird.
Nice. I can imagine how many birders would catch their breath in hopes that this bird was a Hoary Redpoll. It pays to really look at a bird!