One of the world's rarest White
Bird is Albino House Sparrow. Most White
Wild Birds seen are leucistic, lacking pigment. They are extremely rare in
themselves, but a true albino bird, with pink eyes and white feathers is
incredibly rare. Albinos are one of the rarest birds in the world and are
distinctive. Unluckily Albino White Bird rarely reaches adulthood. Melanin
serves some critical functions in vision and in protecting the eye from UV
radiation. Hence, they are easy targets for predators and they can’t see well
due to poor eyesight to spot danger and don’t survive long in the wild.
Albinism is a genetic condition
which is known to affect around 300 different species of animal. Albinos that
are white instead of their normal color are indeed rare. Therefore, about one
in 20,000 humans are albinos, and at least 300 species of animals in North
America have albino individuals. Miley Bull, the senior director of science and
conservation, said the pinkness of the eye marks it as a true albino.
Furthermore, Albinos have the
similar characteristics of other members of their species. So, except their
cells are unable to produce melanin a dark pigment that results in normal
coloration in the skin, scales, eyes or hair. Albinos are rare because the
genes for that trait are recessive, while the genes for normal pigmentation are
dominant. Albinos caused by a lack of melanin, the chemical which gives cells,
and tissues, their coloration.
Without it, everything is colorless
and appears as white. It is a recessive condition, meaning an individual needs
two recessive alleles to trigger albinism. This is a rarity, as if there is one
dominant allele it will overrule the albinism gene and make that individual a
carrier of the condition. The leucistic bird is unusual because it is
completely white from the top to head to the tip of its tail.
A full or true albino is a very
specific mutation with a well-known genetic cause similar across all
vertebrates. All of the plumage is white and the skin is unpigmented. Even the
eye is unpigmented, and appears pink or red as we see the blood vessels in the
retina. RSPB monitoring suggests a serious decline in the United Kingdom house
sparrow population.
It is estimated as dropping by 71
per cent between 1977 and 2008 with substantial declines in both rural and
urban populations. Adult full albino birds are in effect never seen in the
wild. The inability to produce melanin does not affect the red carotenoid
pigments, so the red color appears more or less as usual on this bird’s
feathers and bill. An albino bird is not necessarily all white!
How to identify an albino Bird?
If the albino bird is alone, use
the same elements as above and think of a species that occur in the area that
fit those elements. These clues should give you an idea of which species
of bird the albino bird is likely to be. See the birds that associate with the
albino bird. Since the bill, eyes, and legs color of the albino bird are pink
and pale these cannot be used as a reference. Instead, rely on the shape, size,
behavior, and habitat use. Birders rely on plumage as the primary clue for bird
identification.
