In the last 4 months our garden has had visits from a group of sparrows, one of which is white, it looks like an albino, although its eyes are not red. This bird is part of a group and behaves as every other member of the group, hurries to eat with great appetite, takes off when someone approaches, likes to keep guard on our grandchild's sunbed and the normal sparrows relate to it as any other member of the gang. I have seen it in other places around our kibbutz, but I do not always have the camera on me, so I have seen it about every ten days or so.
Having seen the white sparrow over the last few months has made me wonder, what does the professional literature say about albino sparrows?
An albino, whether it is a human or a sparrow, do not produce melanin, the material that gives color to our skin thus protecting us, humans, from the damages of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, that leave albinos at a higher risk for skin cancers. Lack of melanin also influences the color of our eyes and hair. Albinism is a genetic condition, that is recessive autosomal, meaning that the patient got the gen for the disease from both parents. It has an estimated frequency of about 1/17,000 live births and is found in all ethnic populations. There is no cure; it can be diagnosed on amniocentesis if the family mutation is known; a number of genes are involved mostly located on chromosome 11.
Melanin is induced by exposure to sun's ultraviolet radiation; it is present in all living organisms, like mammals, fish, bacteria, fungi, including plants, like for example giving the color to dates; although its function in plants is not really known at the moment.
In birds, melanin is responsible for the black, brown, grey, reddish colors on their feathers.
with a normal friend and playmate, having a good time together
The earliest mention on white sparrows, dates from 108 years ago at the height of the 1WW, my parents had not been born yet! or perhaps that is just what PubMed and Google libraries have uploaded.
I found the descriptions from then very interesting and have basically copied them here. ‘Science’ is a very respected scientific journal established in 1880 with support from Thomas Edison; even 108 years ago this journal was considered among the top scientific journals as it is today as well! So, to have a report published in this journal, is a big honor for the author!
In Science 1/1/1915 by PJ O’Gara: ALBINISM IN THE ENGLISH SPARROW this article is not on- line and no abstract is available; however, from the four letters in response to that report, it is possible to guess the content of the report:
CW Hargitt, Syracuse University, NY, 12/2/1915,” The note concerning albinism in the English sparrows, recall several observations by the present writer at various times. Semi-albinism or mottling with white in the plumage of these birds is not at all rare, though not particularly conspicuous, unless one is especially used to study the birds in the open. But complete albinism is less common. A number of years ago in Ohio I found in a brood of sparrows just in flight from the nest three specimens which were perfectly white and with the characteristic pink eyes of the pure albino. Two of the same brood were quite normal. Neither of the parent birds was an albino. “
J AS Drummond, Christchurch, N Z. 16/4/1915, “Dr. PJ O’Gara of Salt Lake City, Utah states that on several occasions last summer he saw a single female English sparrow (Passer domesticus) in the busy streets of Salt Lake City, with pure white plumage. He had never seen any reference to albinism in the English sparrow, and he asks if other observers have found this character to be common in that bird. In reply, I may say that albino sparrows are fairly frequently seen in different parts of New Zealand. In about 600 correspondents in the domain, who send me notes on natural history, and I have received from them about a score of albino sparrows. These birds were first introduced into NZ in 1867, and are now the worst of all the bird pests. It is interesting to note that our native birds show a very marked tendency towards albinism, the Kiwi (Apteryx) whose soft, fluffy, plumage, when pure white, is surprisingly beautiful. “
FL Washburn, Experimental Station, State University, Minneapolis, Minn, 16/4/1915, “A note of PJ O’Gara on albinism in the English sparrows: although I have not recently observed any in this part of the country, some years ago when living in Oregon, I used frequently to see English sparrows that were partial albinos associating with normal members of the same species.
G Rathurst Honey, Clifton, Bristol, England, 16/4/1915, “With reference to Dr. O’Gara’s note, I may state that in England albino sparrows is of a comparatively common occurrence. Cases are frequently reported in the Field newspaper and I have known three examples myself. Partially white birds are by no means rare.”
So, from different parts of the English-speaking world 108 years ago, male academics had noticed white sparrows, but only few, sporadic individual sparrows spotted in nature.
The next report I found was 35 years later:
From OUP, The Auk, 1/10/1947 M Davis, The National Zoological Park, Washington, DC: ALBINISM IN A FLOCK OF ENGLISH SPARROWS: since 1928 for the past eighteen years, I have had under observation a small flock of English sparrows around the bird house of the zoo about 15 or so birds display partial albinism; I assume that much inbreeding has taken place among this flock and its ancestors, thus tending to isolate homozygous types. These birds seem to lack vigor, spend most of their time in the low bushes nor do they engage in the tussles usually seen among the mates of the spring; they appear rather passive in their way of life, spend time upon the ground, and are rather slow on the take-off when approached.
playing hide and seek!
From an report by B L Sage, THE INCIDENCE OF ALBINISM AND MELANISM IN BRITISH BIRDS, on a survey from 1956, on 3134 reports on albinism, 233 (7%) were reported to be in sparrows. It appears that migratory birds as well as isolated breeding pairs of birds share a very low incidence of albinism.
After the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in 1986 a review several years later reported an increased number of partial albinism among barn sparrows, the number of mutations correlated with the distance and intensity of the radiation.
I did not find any real scientific reports on albino sparrows; however, since then, there has been various newspaper reports published as interest pieces having spotted individual birds, like the one we have seen on our kibbutz:
Phys,org 25/5/2015 Australia Melbourne, albino sparrows are not expected to survive for long.
Maine Birds, 13/2/2017, a single snow- ball house sparrow has been seen for the past four years.
The Mercury News, 5/4/2018 by J Morris, the normal sparrows treat the white one as one just like themselves; but they stand out and are easily picked on by predators, therefor they are not long-time survivors.
Mail on line, 4/6/2018. Rare albino on a Somerset Garden, ONE - IN– A-MILLION BIRDS stunned the village of Westonzoyland. True albinos have pink eyes.
In England between 1977 to 2008 it is estimated that the number of sparrows has dropped by 71%.
Albinism has been observed in 300 different species of animals.
Charismatic Planet 14/5/2022, albino sparrows are one of the rarest birds in the world and are very distinct and noticeable; however, they rarely live to adulthood as they cannot spot threats due to poor eyesight.
on the look out for enemies
Now I have to ask myself if ‘my white sparrow’ is really an albino or not. Apparently, it is not an albino because its eyes are not pink, furthermore it seems to have an excellent sight, is active, fast, and I have noticed it since the beginning of August, 5 months.
It could be a different genetic condition ‘leucism’ which has reduced pigmentation, not complete lack of melanin. Although this condition is more common than albinism that is still not a common condition. But I celebrate that we have one in our garden as it is a surprising joy when it comes here, and I definitely do not consider it a bird pest, as the guy from New Zealand wrote 108 years ago.
I have a question now, in humans is vitiligo connected somehow to these condition?
I have a camera and can take the photos, I assume that 108 years ago it was not common to own a camera and if they had taken a photo, it would have been black and white.
I put here photos of normal colored sparrows also from my garden from the same group, friends and peers of 'my white friend, the sparrow'.
Mother and child
SO ,HAPPY NEW YEAR AND A PEACEFUL 2023
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