We have become quite used to seeing this white Australian Magpie around, taking its place in Magpie society with some more conventional Magpie friends. In my blog in March I speculated as to why Snowy was so coloured. Some darker features, especially the eye, indicated that Snowy was leutistic rather than albino. Albinos are pure white (or pink) due to the total absence of melanin colouring.
Snowy photographed back in March.
Today we have the answer; over the subsequent six months Snowy has gradually developed more dark features indicating Snowy’s whiteness was caused by poor expression of melanin rather than its absence. Snowy is leutistic.
A more mottled Snowy, photographed this week.