Leucistic Male Scarlet Robin

The bird shown above was photographed by Angus and Barbara King at the Mandalay Beach car park near Walpole on Sunday 27th July 2003.

It is obviously a partially leucistic robin.  Leucistic means that some plumage is abnormally white.  This usually affects black feathers.  In this case the black primary feathers have not been affected.  The bird can be identified as a leucistic male Scarlet Robin.  The red on a female Scarlet Robin would not be so bright.  It can't be a Red-capped Robin as the red cap would still be apparent.

If you have any further comments about this bird, then email the comments to sightings@iinet.net.au and I will put them on this web page as soon as possible.