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Thread: What's up with this Chickadee?

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    Default What's up with this Chickadee?

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    This "Black-capped Chickadee" was photographed today at Ipswich River Sanctuary in Topsfield, MA.
    This is the first I have ever seen with pinkish legs, pinkish bill and yellow eye ring.
    All other coloration looked normal.
    Is this a normal variation of some sort?
    Last edited by Mike Milicia; 01-19-2010 at 04:11 PM.

  2. #2
    Axel Hildebrandt
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    I've never seen anything like this. It looks almost like the bill and feet of a junco.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Axel Hildebrandt View Post
    I've never seen anything like this. It looks almost like the bill and feet of a junco.
    That was my first thought also. No Photoshopping, honest! :)

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    definitely an unusual chickadee. I would post to Cornell Lab of ornithology for further information. Never seen a chickadee lab this

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    Interesting, seems that the plumage is not affected at all.
    Here a reminder of leucism, not sure if this is it:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucism

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    That's a new one. There are many combinations of pigmentation mutations; which pigment, portion of body affected but this ain't like any I come across. The weirdest part is that there is pigment in the "claws" otherwise the absence of melanin would occur in all the nonfeather areas ("soft" parts).

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    I am trying to get in touch with chickadee biologist Susan M. Smith. A junco X chickadee hybrid would seem beyond the realm of possibility. Leucistic is my guess.
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