From an early age, my family encouraged me to take an interest in wildlife and birds in particular - an interest that has stayed with me for over 50 years!
However, last Monday, I saw a bird which really had me stumped - it was sitting on one of the picnic tables at the back entrance to M&S at Meadowhall, alongside the River Don. It was maybe 15 yards away.
The bird was the shape and size of a Carrion Crow, maybe slightly smaller but not significantly so. It moved like a crow too.
However, the bird had pale beige/fawn plumage all over - with slightly darker striations...I think its bill was brownish (it mainly had its back to me). It reminded me a bit of the neck feathers on a golden eagle when the sun caught it. However, definitely not a bird of prey - it was a crow of some sort.
It hopped/flew over the fence towards the river and disappeared but later, I could hear other blackbirds etc giving alarm calls so it was still about somewhere. I've not seen it since.
I had a look on the Internet and my conclusion is that it was maybe an albino/part albino crow?
Has anyone else seen anything like this or got any ideas?
Hi Bridgeman
I think your conclusions are probably right. It sounds very much like a crow species but the colouring is very very unusual.
I'd say it is not necessarily an albino manifestation but something has gone wrong with the pigmentation.
Funnily enough, there was a letter to the Sheffield Star last August from some one who reported seeing a brown crow on the Wicker. It is highly likely that this is same bird as geographically it is pretty close for a Crow.
Hope that helps solve the mystery.
Matthew
Did he look like this - westseattleblog.com/.../west-seattle-author-has-something-to-crow-about
This crow is leucistic - it means they lack the dark pigment in their feathers, albinism is the lacking of all pigment hence. Leucism can come in many forms from having faded colours (which is probably your golden crows case) to just patches of white to birds being totally white or - the key to look for when determining whether something is albino or leucistic is the eye colour, albinos have pink eyes as the eyes will also lack pigment, whereas in a leucistic individual the eyes will be a normal colour.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Thanks folks - yes that photo is spot on! So a Leucistic or Golden Crow - Golden sounds better!
Very likley the same bird as seen in the Wicker area as I can imagine the R Don will act as a very convenient corridor.
Cheers
I think Golden Crow is a nice name for them lol
It's been spotted again by one of my colleagues this morning - on the grass outside Sainsbury's Filling Station at Meadowhall - Conclusion: this crow appears to shop at M&S and Sainsbury's !!!
Smart birds those crows...
Hi, I see the crow you're on about quite regularly as I park at the park & ride every day. Last time I saw it I took some photos its a stunning bird
Sounds like the one! I've seen it a couple more times...always when I have no camera!