One look at the photo, and I instantly understood both the observer's confusion and the mystery bird's identity. It turned out to be a black-capped chickadee with a condition known as “leucism” ...

He was looking at “a near fully leucistic red-tailed hawk.” Animals with leucism have reduced levels of melanin that often ...

whereas animals with albinism have pink eyes Birds, lions, fish, peacocks, penguins, eagles, hippos, moose and snakes have all displayed traits of leucism The conservancy is in a vast unfenced area.

Experts say the bird’s colour is a result of a condition called leucism, a genetic mutation which causes partial loss of pigmentation. Carly Ahlen, founder of Gabo Wildlife, told KentOnline ...