# Leucistic Jackdaw :)



## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

First saw this guy over a year ago just along the road from where I live, saw him for the second time today and managed to get some pics. Unfortunately only had the kit lens for my camera and he wouldn't let me get very close :|


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## fergie (Oct 27, 2007)

Nice pics Gayle. Thanks for sharing.


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## ok1hurricane (Jun 15, 2010)

Nice one. Jackdaws are one of my fav birds.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

He is pied, not leucistic. sometimes incorectly called "partial albino" which of course geneticly is imposable. it is a fairly rare genetic mutation, although it is seen most commonly in jackdaws and blackbirds. The white areas seem to increase with age. I work with a 15 year old captive bird who looks very similar now, although when he came to us about 6 years ago he looked like any other jackdaw.


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

corvid2e1 said:


> He is pied, not leucistic. sometimes incorectly called "partial albino" which of course geneticly is imposable. it is a fairly rare genetic mutation, although it is seen most commonly in jackdaws and blackbirds. The white areas seem to increase with age. I work with a 15 year old captive bird who looks very similar now, although when he came to us about 6 years ago he looked like any other jackdaw.


Ok, thanks 
After seeing him i just googled 'white jackdaw' and there are quite a lot of pictures of similair looking ones and they all seemed to be referred to as 'leucistic' or 'partial leucistic'.
So I can call him a 'pied jackdaw'?


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

A pied Jackdaw would be correct. if he was leucistic all his feathers would be pure white, but he would retain normal coloured legs, beak and eyes. "partial Leusistic" is just as imposable as "partial Albino". it is caused by an inherited defective gene, you either have it or you don't.


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## AshMashMash (Oct 28, 2007)

Nice pics Gayle!  Very cool. 

And nice info Corvid, clear and concise!


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

On doing a little research it seems that the current theory acording to a few people is that the pied mutation is a form of leucisum. not being partial as such, but being effectivly less servier. this is interesting and, although I am not entirely convinced, there are still a few features that do not quite match up to being the same thing, I would not discount it. therefore, at least until they change their mind again, you may get away with calling your jackdaw "Leucistic Pied". Sorry, not quite so clear anymore!


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## Lucky Eddie (Oct 7, 2009)

iiisecondcreep said:


> So I can call him a 'pied jackdaw'?


Nope, that would be a magpie.


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## ForeverHams (Sep 9, 2008)

Lucky Eddie said:


> Nope, that would be a magpie.


as silly as that comment is, it made me laugh :lol2:


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## xvickyx (Jul 21, 2009)

Great pics, he is very cool looking


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

We saw another one! This one was A LOT more white. Unfortunately, the only camera we had was my OH's phone and it flew away as soon as I spotted it!


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## vawn (Jul 1, 2008)

so birds don't get old tatty/grey feathers as they age?


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

Tatty maybe (although don't birds get new feathers each year?) but I am pretty sure they don't turn white with age!! Neither of these jackdaws were tatty at all, you can see the tail of the second one is in absolutely perfect condition- same with the rest of it!


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## KTedham (Feb 11, 2009)

Wow, I've never actually seen pied or whatever they are jackdaws that are meant to be that colour. Those photos are so nice.

In the rescue centre I work at, the only crows and jackdaws that come in with patchy whitish feathers like this are zinc deficient and by the time they get to us, very weak.
I've no idea how they would get that way as most jackdaws and crows seem perfectly capable of having a balanced diet and staying healthy. I have a sneaking suspicion that it could be because of them snacking on too much junk food and litter as the city is only 8miles away and most of them are brought in from there.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

KTedham said:


> Wow, I've never actually seen pied or whatever they are jackdaws that are meant to be that colour. Those photos are so nice.
> 
> In the rescue centre I work at, the only crows and jackdaws that come in with patchy whitish feathers like this are zinc deficient and by the time they get to us, very weak.
> I've no idea how they would get that way as most jackdaws and crows seem perfectly capable of having a balanced diet and staying healthy. I have a sneaking suspicion that it could be because of them snacking on too much junk food and litter as the city is only 8miles away and most of them are brought in from there.


 White bases to the flight feathers, particualy the primaries and secondaries, are fairly common in young corvids, particualy carrion crows. this can be caused by nutritional dificiancy (i.e. parrents feeding too much of the wrong food while young are in the nest, especialy in urban areas where they get a lot from rubbish and bird tables) but also seems to be caused by stress. this has been seen in captivity but is not uncommon in the wild as the juvenile stage can be very hard on wild birds, with most not surviving their first year. These white flighted birds will moult out normaly in their first full moult at a year old provided they have the correct diet at the time.


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