Leucistic Crow at Sardis Park

[denisknopp]

We stopped by Sardis Park with are grand son and besides all the turtles ~20 there was a male Eurasian Wigeon
and a gray and white crow.
Denis


S5940014-1 by Gord G, on Flickr

Image3 by Gord G, on Flickr

Image2 by Gord G, on Flickr

[Gord]

Neat find and good photos! It must be the same bird that was seen last year in the same area. The odds are never in the favour of a leucistic bird so to see one this long is rather uncommon. Jamie also saw it there today.

[Jamie]

I went to Sardis Park as well with my grandparents since it was my birthday. I saw the Eurasian Wigeon as well. I can add some of my own crow photos. A very striking-looking bird for sure. I first noticed it in the parking lot, a bright white thing with the crows. I figured it was a gull or maybe a pigeon, but it was acting like a crow. Since it acted like a crow, and called like a crow, it was a crow for sure.

Leucistic Crow Flight Shot by Jamie, on Flickr

Leucistic Crow comparison by Jamie, on Flickr

Leucistic Crow Flight Shot 2 by Jamie, on Flickr
When it flew around with its other crow friends, it really stuck out. I could see it among its black brethren even across the pond.

On the topic of white birds, there were also two white Mallards resting on the shore of the pond. There were not albinos, but a domesticated Mallard -  definitely released from a farm. They were very tame, I could literally touch them.
White Duck by Jamie, on Flickr

[Jamie]

The white crow is still around this evening. It was working on its nest with another crow, which was normally-colored, but mostly feeding on the ground with 3 other crows. I was able to get about 15 feet away from it. I could've been closer, but always someone would walk by (usually with a dog) and spook it back into its tree. I'm pretty happy with what I got though.

White Crow, Sardis Park by Jamie, on Flickr

White Crow, Sardis Park by Jamie, on Flickr

White Crow, Sardis Park by Jamie, on Flickr


It's a fascinating-looking bird with its opposite colors. It was still gathering sticks for its nest, although it spent most of its time on the muddy grass near the picnic tables & playground -- probably enjoying the worms that came up with the recent rain.

[dan]

I may have photos of this bird, which I took on Greenwood Cres. which is near Sardis Park, July 29 2012.  At that time It was with two other crows and I was under the impression it was a fledgling.
I have seen the bird every year since then ( if it is the same one).  I tried to upload some photos but kept getting an error message stating the forum had exceeded upload limit??



www.dropbox.com/sh/z8bx69em6ojlmcb/AACUXjYCFUIDRktKvr4kVnsAa?dl=0

[Gord]

Dan, yes the upload limit for the fourm is quite small.

Uploading first to Flickr is what most people are doing now.

I first saw what I assume is this guy last spring over near Knight Road then the rest of my sightings were closer to Sardis Pond. I've also heard from others in the area that they've seen it for a few years now. 2012 would be the earliest I've heard and there's a good chance it is the same bird as they can live for quite some time.

As Jamie mentioned, it is building a nest at Sardis Pond near the playground. I wonder what the young will look like?

Leucistic Northwestern Crow by Gord G, on Flickr

[dan]

Gord

Last fall I saw the white crow fly close by my house on greenwood towards the farm on Britton. A short while later I went out and did not see the white crow in the field but there were several
crows which had splotches of white on them. I assumed they were the young of the white crow.

[chrispy78]

I was out for a self-isolated walk w my dog yesterday at Sardis Park and also saw the white crow. I instantly took out my cell phone and did a Google search to see what it was. He flew off before I could get a photo. But the photos in this thread are definitely him. Pretty cool!

[emilyh]

This crow successfully reared 3 young last year! All of them were their normal black colour. The leucism gene is recessive in most cases and he/she would require a mate who is either dominant or recessive for the gene to produce leucitic offspring.

[Gord]

Apr 26, 2020 17:15:53 GMT -8 emilyh said:

This crow successfully reared 3 young last year! All of them were their normal black colour. The leucism gene is recessive in most cases and he/she would require a mate who is either dominant or recessive for the gene to produce leucitic offspring.

Great info, thanks!