There is a bird on the project feederwatch site that is baffling the scientists. And rightfully so! Have you ever seen a bluejay like this? I want to see it.
I guess it would be easy to say that it is a hybrid, but I bet it is just a variation in the feather patterns. Some kind of an error in the genes. Very pretty. I wonder if it is challenged by these different feathers.
Have you ever seen one?
1 comment:
Hi Loren - I stumbled onto your blog and wanted to say that I am the one that submitted the picture of the partial albino blue jay to Cornell. We named this very special bluejay "Papa Smurf". Cornell suggested that Papa Smurf was missing the typical barbs on the feathers which made them look "fluffy". There are domestic birds called silkies that are bred for this trait but it is rare in the wild. Despite his strange appearance, he acted just like all the other "screaming meanie" bluejays. Unfortunately Papa Smurf disappeared after 4 months and we have never seen him again. If you would like to see more pictures of Papa Smurf, there are some on my website ...
http://www.jandbk.org/gallery_birds/species.php?species=Blue%20Jay
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