a turquoise mutation green-cheeked conure. this mutation was created through extensive captive breeding programs. naturally, these conures are only seen in their wild coloration, green.
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Tag: mutation
a red-tailed hawk with leucism, spotted in texas. leucistic birds aren’t uncommon but rarely make it to adulthood due to being easy targets for predators and having weaker feathers and eyesight.
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this is a blue mutation scarlet macaw. these macaws are rare in captivity, and the mutation has never been seen in the wild; they are somewhat controversial, as the mutation results from extensively managed breeding that likely included some inbreeding.
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this unusually brown crow is what is sometimes referred to as a “caramel” crow. it’s not certain what the cause of the abnormal plumage is, as none of these crows have ever been examined by researchers; however, plausible theories include crows affected by leucism (a lack of pigment) or crows with a rare ‘brown’ color mutation.
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this white large-billed crow was spotted in shimane, japan. crows with such drastic variations in color aren’t entirely uncommon, and have been seen not only in japan but in different crow species all over the world. it’s likely this bird’s color results from leucism, a genetic mutation that causes a decrease in melanin and other pigments.
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this house crow is unusually caramel colored. this mutation has been seen in other crows, and it’s of some dispute of what the cause is; many agree it is leucism, a lack of pigmentation, while others believe it is a seperate color mutation unique to crows.
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pied faroe ravens were a common color morph of ravens found on the faroe islands, sometimes considered a seperate subspecies. while it isn’t entirely uncommon for crowd and ravens to have patches of white on occasion, these birds’ coloring was very distinct. these unique birds were hunted to extinction, and now only occasional natural mutations are seen on the island.
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this is a turkey vulture with leucism. the bird’s light brown color is the result of a reduction in pigment from leucism. leucistic birds rarely make it to adulthood, as they are more visible to predators, and tend to have weak eyesight & feathers.
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this brown crow was photographed in lansing, new york. its’ unusually light coloration is likely due to leucism, a reduction in pigmentation.
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what is xanthochromism?
xanthochromism is an unusually yellow pigmentation in an animal that isn’t normally that color. it can be diet-related, but is usually caused by a genetic mutation that results in underproduction of other pigments, which are replaced by the yellow pigment. xanthochromism is relatively common in birds and reptiles – in the pet trade, we often call animals bred for these traits ‘lutino’.
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today's bird 