Partial albino or leucistic?
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 04:24:55 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
There is a lot of confusion about proper terminology for birds with abnormal pigmentation. It's very hard to find authoritative definitions on the web. I'll take a stab at it here, and hope that Joseph Morlan or one of our other expert ornithologists will correct me or amplify the definitions.
The following terms are used only in cases where a bird has abnormal pigmentation for its species - not for birds such as egrets that are normally white.
A totally albino bird is completely lacking in melanin pigments. It has white feathers, pink or red eyes, and very pale or white feet, legs, and bill.
An incomplete albino is completely lacking pigment in either eyes, skin, or feathers, but not in all three.
A partial albino is completely lacking pigment only in local parts of the body such as patches of feathers, often with bilateral symmetry.
An imperfect albino has less than normal pigmentation (a pale or "washed out" appearance) but is not completely lacking pigmentation anywhere. Terms such as "leucistic" and "schizochroic" are used for particular combinations of missing and present pigments. It is probably best to just use the general term "imperfect albino" and then to clarify that the bird has a pale appearance.
By the way, a melanistic bird is one that is darker than normal due to an excess of melanin.
If anyone can clarify the exact meaning of "leucistic," I'd be curious. I haven't found it anywhere, although the term appears frequently in birding e-mail lists. I've seen conflicting definitions in various places.
At any rate, it would appear that the Red-tailed Hawk that has frequented upper Strawberry Canyon for some years would properly be called a partial albino. It could also be described as "pied."
Corrections and amplifications are welcome.
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall
El Cerrito CA
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Northern Parula south of Livermore (Alameda
County)
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 06:10:37 -0800
From: Mike Feighner
East Bay Birders:
This is a portion of Doug Shaw's most recent Northern California Bird Box transcript:
Alameda County
A male Northern Parula was seen in Veterans Park south of Livermore thru the 21st. The warbler is 100 yards upstream from the parking lot near the willows across the pond (Art Edwards, et al.)
This is the first I have heard of the Northern Parula in Livermore. I rarely call the bird box these days. There was nothing over EBB. We need to get these great birders online.
I live in Livermore, and I am ashamed to say I have never heard of Veterans Park. Does anyone know where this is?
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County
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White-throated Sparrow at Sunol Regional
Wilderness
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 08:40:53 -0800
From: Don Lewis
Thursday morning at 9 AM there was a White-throated Sparrow at Sunol Regional Wilderness, near Sunol. It was with a large group of White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows, along the creek near picnic tables at the extreme western end of the parking lot near the visitor center.
We also noted a pair of cooperative Rufous-crowned Sparrows at roadside in the usual area for this species on the trail/road toward Little Yosemite.
Actually, I've had a White-throated Sparrow visiting my Lafayette deck semi-regularly since January 1, so the Sunol bird wasn't even a year bird for me, although it was that and a lifer for one member of Bingham Gibbs's group yesterday.
Don Lewis
Lafayette, CA
Re: Partial albino or leucistic?
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 08:51:16 -0800
From: Joseph Morlan
Larry Tunstall wrote:
If anyone can clarify the exact meaning of "leucistic," I'd be curious. I haven't found it anywhere, although the term appears frequently in birding e-mail lists. I've seen conflicting definitions in various places.
This may be helpful:
http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0104A&L=birdchat&P=R5765
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Point Reyes birding
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 11:52:06 PST
From: Nancy Kreinberg
My partner and I just spent 3 fantastic birding days in Point Reyes with Naturalist Diane Williams. Her knowledge of bird life and behavior, as well as wildflowers and the ecology of Pt Reyes, made this trip very special for us amateur birders. We're happy to provide more information about the trip to anyone who is interested.
Nancy Kreinberg
Re: Veterans Park near Livermore
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 13:11:14 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
Mike Feighner asked about the location of Veterans Park, where the Northern Parula has been seen. It is the southern extension of Sycamore Grove, along Arroyo Rd south of Livermore, into the grounds of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. See
Good birding, Larry
Larry Tunstall, El Cerrito CA
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More on pigmentation terminology
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 13:29:23 -0800
From: Larry Tunstall
I've had some further correspondence with Joseph Morlan about the terminology for abnormal pigmentation in birds. Thanks to him for providing more information.
First, for those who care, it is pronounced both ways - loo-KISS-tick or loo-SIS-tick, so take your pick.
Second, the terminology I outlined (total albino, incomplete albino, partial albino, imperfect albino) was proposed for mammals in 1911 and is generally used in that field of study. I found it in the Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds (1996 reprint of 1980 edition). A different system (using many of the same words with different meanings) has been introduced for birds by ecological geneticist Paul Buckley. In that system, a leucistic bird would be one that has no pigment in its feathers, but does have pigment in eyes and skin. In Buckley's terminology, a pied bird such as the Strawberry Canyon hawk would be described as partially leucistic. A pale bird with all pigments present in reduced amounts would be described as having diluted pigmentation.
This is why terminology is so totally confusing - different people are using the same words with different meanings! Therefore, when reporting to this list about a bird with abnormal pigmentation, please take the time to write a sentence or two describing the bird's appearance so we'll know what you mean.
For more information about all this, you could consult a webpage that someone recommended to Joseph Morlan:
Good luck, Larry
Larry Tunstall, El Cerrito CA
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Northern Parula still at Veterans Park
Fri, 22 Mar 2002 13:22:55 PST
From: Mike Feighner
East Bay Birds:
I worked a short day today. By the time I had reached Veterans Park in Livermore (Alameda County) at about noon, the rain had stopped.
The male Northern Parula was an easy find. He was foraging in the tops of the willows along the west side of the pond. Other birds around were Orange-crowned Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, singing House Wrens, American Robins, and one Hermit Thrush.
For those of you not familiar with Veteran's Park (thanks to Dennis Rashé for the directions), you can reach the area by taking L Street south from downtown Livermore. It becomes Arroyo Rd at a bend in the street where it crosses the creek (a three-person fatality accident occurred here a couple weeks ago ... the trees along this section of the street are marked with red ribbons). After another 3 miles or so you will reach Veterans Park. It is along the west side of the road directly opposite the entrance to Wente Winery. If you see a MP 3.62 sign on the right, you have gone too far. Parking fee is $2. From the parking lot, walk less than 100 yards upstream to the pond described above.
Mike Feighner, Livermore, CA, Alameda County
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