I spotted this blackbird in the garden (see photo). It is not black but light grey, and it did not have pink eyes so I guess it is not an albino. It spread its wings and lay in the sun; in due course it flew off. I鈥檝e never seen a blackbird with this colouring before. Can anyone tell me more about it?
(Continued)
鈥� Further to earlier answers, it appears that the off-black blackbird is 鈥渁nting鈥�. Some birds deliberately lie with their wings outstretched on top of an ant鈥檚 nest so that the insects and the formic acid they release kill parasites clinging to the bird鈥檚 feathers.
Anting is quite unusual and many of your readers may have never seen it or recognised what is happening. Birds often stay in this position for some time, giving people the opportunity to both observe and photograph them.
Advertisement
Andrew Carruthers, Quebec, Canada
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淥ff colour鈥�