2105_2254 Leucistic American Avocet
I had never seen a leucistic avocet, or even dreamed of one, but there it was. On a sunny, cold morning, it was hanging out with the other avocets... sort of. Mostly it was on the fringes of the social gathering. Many of the avocets seemed to be paired up, but this bird was clearly on its own.
Because of its normal leg and eye colour, I'm sure this isn't an albino. Bird leucism only affects the feathers. I couldn't get close, but this shot, with a "normal" avocet flying in at the right, shows the startling difference. A fascinating way to start the day...
Photographed at Reed Lake, near Morse, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2105_2254 Leucistic American Avocet
I had never seen a leucistic avocet, or even dreamed of one, but there it was. On a sunny, cold morning, it was hanging out with the other avocets... sort of. Mostly it was on the fringes of the social gathering. Many of the avocets seemed to be paired up, but this bird was clearly on its own.
Because of its normal leg and eye colour, I'm sure this isn't an albino. Bird leucism only affects the feathers. I couldn't get close, but this shot, with a "normal" avocet flying in at the right, shows the startling difference. A fascinating way to start the day...
Photographed at Reed Lake, near Morse, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.