White Birds - photos and discussion

[Michele Nel]

Yes. Definitely not an escaped finch of any kind.

Thanks SomesBirder.

[Richard Schofield]

I came across a leucistic (I think) spur-winged plover yesterday (4th) just south of Balclutha. On the ground it appeared all white, apart from the normal black cap, nape and collar. In flight primaries and secondaries were pale grey-brown, otherwise the wings were white.

[Neil Fitzgerald]

A white magpie seen recently in South Canterbury: http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/ne ... y-resident

[SomesBirder]

Dale did not want to say specifically where the magpie could be found as he was concerned someone may try and shoot and stuff it.

Exactly what I was thinking about as I was reading the article... Good on him...

[Nick Allen]

Went out on a tour led by Tony of Coast up Close in Akaroa yesterday. He photographed an all-white Black-backed Gull a few weeks ago just out of Flea Bay. Couldn't tell eye or bare part colour from the photo.

[Ian Southey]

Just found this - http://boc-online.org/bulletins/downloa ... nGrouw.pdf on melanism rather than paler birds, but interesting none the less.

Ian

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Interesting, thanks Ian. New Zealand seems to be well represented in the examples of melanistic birds incorrectly described as new species. I think there are four endemics plus banded rail.

[stuartl]

(725.43 KiB) Viewed 10568 times

Hi I saw this one up North in Kohu Kohu Hokianga March 2016 but wasnt sure what it was. A friend thought maybe a leucistic white faced heron.
Can anyone help me ID it please.
Thanks Stuart

[David Riddell]

I'm no expert on herons, but that sounds reasonable to me. The leg and bill colours are wrong for white phase reef heron (I don't think the bill is heavy enough either), and the same applies to plumed egret. Also obviously not a white heron, cattle egret or little egret (going on build, gape, and bill/leg colour), and looking through my Asian and Australian bird books there's nothing there that matches either. Those yellow legs are the real kicker. The build (especially those short legs) looks reasonable for white-faced heron, and given that it's the commonest heron in the area it's probably your best bet. Very cool looking bird though.

[RussCannings]

This is surely the exact bird I photographed in Kohukohu in Jan, 2016: http://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopi ... stic+heron

I do notice a richer yellow in the legs only 2 months on.

Russ C
Cambridge, NZ