GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: birds, "white" American Robin, Turdus migratorius, Image of the Day
"White" American Robin, Turdus migratorius, on a sidewalk in Casper, Wyoming.
Image: Norma Brown. [wallpaper size].
I am going to speculate here, but I think that, because this bird is pale colored everywhere it would normally be brown, grey or black, this bird's melanin-producing gene(s) have been deactivated. However, because the bird's breast is red, as is typical for this species, carotenoids (red pigments obtained from the bird's diet) are still being added to the bird's feathers when they are growing, as normal. What do you think?
More below the fold regarding this image.
Inspired by Bob Levy's robin image that I published yesterday, another reader shared this image with all of you. The reader writes; This was taken this summer by my aunt, or maybe my cousin, in Casper Wyoming. It seems to be a true albino, the red eye, yet it still has a rusty breast. I haven't asked if they used a flash, which could explain the eye, but the angle makes me think it really is red.
Life Science
Comments
Wow, that is really fascinating, thanks for sharing this!
Posted by: Anne-Marie | September 12, 2007 9:46 PM
New Species! Lets preserve it! (holds bottle of formulin wearing an evil taxonomist grin)
Posted by: kevin Z | September 13, 2007 12:32 AM
Hedwig, I think you are exactly right--it's an albino (no melanin) but the diet-derived carotenoids are present...very cool!
Posted by: Sven DiMilo | September 13, 2007 2:24 PM
From what I gather, albinism and melanism are among the most widespread mutation types among vertebrates. I'm not sure about insects....
Posted by: David Harmon | September 14, 2007 7:30 PM
We live in the Ozarks in Arkansa, where we had the pleasure of seeing a "white" Robin 1/5/08. This particular bird was solid white, and had no red chest! He fed with all the true colored Robins. Maybe he will be back.
Posted by: lavaye | January 8, 2008 9:32 AM
Just saw a bird exactly like this in Central Missouri on 07/17/08. Was doing a search for info when I found this site. This one was also with a group of robins which made me think it too was one. It was white with orange breast feathers.
Posted by: Aunt G | July 19, 2008 10:18 AM