# Is this dove leucistic or albino?



## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Came across this dove the other day and I am pretty confident is leucistic with the condition of dilution (lacking pigment), however, the iris in its eyes are as red as red all the way around which I thought was only a condition of albinism. I've seen the red iris before in normal colored ECDs, but never this intense or bright. Anyway, pretty cool leucistic bird. Wish I hadn't demolished it so bad.


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Leucistic(piebald), with the disruption in pigmentation happening during the replacement of feathers after its last molt, mid growth of those feathers. Which reminds me of the marbled velvet on this moose: http://rutalocura.com/images/IMG_7449.jpg The interesting part of this, like with the moose, the piebald pattern is not across the animal, but with the dove the individual feathers, and in the moose, it is the velvet. Some of the feathers have the same wave, or beach marking pattern as the moose velvet.

The eye looks normal to me.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

And I thought they were Asian.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Lonetree said:


> Leucistic(piebald), with the disruption in pigmentation happening during the replacement of feathers after its last molt, mid growth of those feathers. Which reminds me of the marbled velvet on this moose: http://rutalocura.com/images/IMG_7449.jpg The interesting part of this, like with the moose, the piebald pattern is not across the animal, but with the dove the individual feathers, and in the moose, it is the velvet. Some of the feathers have the same wave, or beach marking pattern as the moose velvet.
> 
> The eye looks normal to me.


Yes, leucistic.

Neat bird, thanks for posting.

.


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## hemionus (Aug 23, 2009)

No it is *not* a leucistic Eurasian collared dove. They're African collared dove that are becoming more common now and are seen hanging out with Eurasian CD. The most diagnostic trait is the pale buff to white color.


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## Airborne (May 29, 2009)

Lonetree said:


> Leucistic(piebald), with the disruption in pigmentation happening during the replacement of feathers after its last molt, mid growth of those feathers. Which reminds me of the marbled velvet on this moose: http://rutalocura.com/images/IMG_7449.jpg The interesting part of this, like with the moose, the piebald pattern is not across the animal, but with the dove the individual feathers, and in the moose, it is the velvet. Some of the feathers have the same wave, or beach marking pattern as the moose velvet.
> 
> The eye looks normal to me.


I think the dove ate some grain tainted with herbicide and that's why it looks so weird. I bet we see a decline in dove numbers over the next decade or two. Did you check the dove's balls and see if they were deformed and pigmented? I bet that dove has some strange lookin balls...:grin:


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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

Leucism: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/pastsearches/2005_2006/stories_reports_0506/leucism

Leucism is just what causes the white color, it has nothing to do with species.

African verses Eurasian collared doves: http://feederwatch.org/learn/tricky-bird-ids/common-doves/african-vs-eurasian-collared-doves/

I raised African doves of all color phases for a good many years. They are not nearly as hearty as Eurasion collared doves. I don't doubt there is some crossing but that is a Eurasian collared dove.

You can always tell who, and why, some people go for certain angles on things, sucks to be them...........I here polishing those big rims has a consoling affect.......


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## hondodawg (Mar 13, 2013)

This feller has been hanging around my backyard. Look like an albino ecd to me. But I could be wrong as the wife always seems to point out.


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