Bird watchers are in a flap this week after a rare part albino blackbird with a white head and a black body was spotted in a garden in Burnham-On-Sea.
The bird is a regular visitor to the home of Terry Fairchild, and his wife Lorraine, at their home in Burnham-On-Sea.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has said this week that blackbirds with white feathers are fairly common, although semi-albino like this one are rare.
It estimates that fewer than 50 partial albino blackbirds are seen each year in the UK, and fewer than 10 albino birds.
Mr Fairchild and his wife have nicknamed the bird Whitey.
Terry told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We first noticed him about six months ago and could not tell what type of bird he was.”
“All I can remember was thinking how beautiful he was and how unusual he looked. He certainly stood out.”
“We tried many times to get a picture of him, but he’s quite shy and flew off but we got lucky recently and captured several images of him sitting on the shed roof.”
The couple sent pictures of the bird to the RSPB to identify. A spokesman for the charity said: “These blackbirds are quite unusual and nature does not always favour them.”
“Partial albino birds can find it hard to survive over their all-black relatives because they stand out too much and can be rejected by their parents and siblings.”
“They are also prone to being attacked or prey for other animals and birds because of their colouring. On the whole albino birds are the result of a genetic condition.”
