Rare white crow found in Lismore

A young crow that was at first thought to be an albino is recovering in the care of WIRES Northern Rivers network.

Wires spokeperson Muriel Kinson said a caller to the WIRES hotline had reported the strange-looking bird in Lismore.

The young crow was unable to fly and when it was first rescued it was thought to be an albino.

But Ms Kinson said the young crow was actually ‘leucistic’ … that is with blue eyes, pink beak and feathers that are not completely white.

‘True albinism is caused by a complete lack of melanin, the naturally occurring pigment that gives colour to the skin, feathers, hair and eyes,’ she said.

‘Vertebrates with albinism are not only white (or sometimes pale yellowish) in colour but they also have very pale eyes, often pink or red in colour as the blood vessels show through.

‘Leucism, on the other hand, is a partial loss of pigmentation, which can make the animal have white or patchily coloured skin, hair, feathers and so on, but the pigment cells in the eyes are not affected by the condition.

‘In this case, our white crow’s eyes are blue. Few albino or leucistic animals survive into adulthood in the wild, most often due to eyesight problems or harassment by other birds.’

Ms Kinson said the crow was too young to fly and also a bit underweight and tattered.

She said once the crow had regained its strength it would be examined by a vet.

‘There is a possibility for release back into the wild after some time spent in care or this bird may go to a sanctuary if unable to be released,’ she said.

Mr Kinson appealed for more carers, especially for birds.

‘Our next training will be on Sunday 6 December. Call the hotline or send an email to [email protected] to register for more information.

The WIRES 24-hour Hotline number is 6628 1898.