White Birds - photos and discussion

Michele Nel · Post by **Michele Nel** » Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:55 pm

SomesBirder wrote:Yes. Definitely not an escaped finch of any kind.

Thanks SomesBirder.

Richard Schofield · Post by **Richard Schofield** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 9:06 pm

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.

Post by **Neil Fitzgerald** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:38 pm

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

SomesBirder · Post by **SomesBirder** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 9:42 pm

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 · Post by **Nick Allen** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:07 pm

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 · Post by **Ian Southey** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 10:27 am

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

Ian

Post by **Neil Fitzgerald** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 1:25 pm

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 · Post by **stuartl** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 8:35 pm

: (725.43 KiB) Viewed 11522 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 · Post by **David Riddell** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 11:09 am

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 · Post by **RussCannings** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:53 pm

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

White Birds - photos and discussion

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