When is a blackbird not a black bird?
Answer: When it's white.
An albino blackbird chick with snowy white feathers, red eyes and a pinky-yellow beak has arrived at the Northpower Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre after being evicted from its nest. Apart from its lack of colour, the three-week-old chick is
just like other blackbirds, says the park's wildlife manager Robert Webb.
Mr Webb said he had seen blackbirds evict albino nest-mates before, and that's most likely what happened to this one, found in Onerahi this week. He said the chick was not likely to survive if released. "We've had two or three over 10 years."
He said that being white made them easy prey for cats as they stood out in the bush, particularly at night. "With this little fellow being pure white he's like a neon sign flashing saying, `Come and get me'."
He said other birds, particularly tui, were very aggressive and would attack birds of unusual colours.
Mr Webb said he would like to keep the albino chick, which ate baby food and cat food, in an aviary at the park.
"We'll hand rear him until he eats on his own from a dish, probably next week."
Mr Webb said that lacking pigment might eventually cause the bird to go blind, get sunburnt, or have trouble staying warm on very cold nights.
He also wondered whether white feathers were as waterproof as black feathers.
"By having it in the aviary we'll learn a little bit about it."
He said the yet-unnamed blackbird would live next to Woof Woof, the park's talking tui.
"Him and Woof Woof can argue the difference between black and white," he said.
