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Current sightings of "white" or albino raptors!
Put mouse on pics for info.
Get ready for a SPECIAL treat! A HUGE, SPECIAL, THANK YOU
goes out to Dr. Ruth Boll, DVM for these pics. She is a
veterinary advisor for a licensed rehabilitator, Melody
Olaker, but doesn't currently hold a license until she gets
a rehab facility for herself. She is a 'relief' veterinarian
and substitute for other veterinarians when they are out of
the office for vacation or continuing education.
The first hawk was treated at Guardian Animal Hospital in
Ashland, Ky. Dr. MJ Wixsom (a friend and colleague) was the
vet of record on this one. Ruth was subbing for her for a
week when she took the pictures.
The second, darker hawk was taken in by Melody Olaker, a re-
habilitator in Lucasville, Ohio. She treated it initially
until Ruth could take its care on. Currently, it is being
hospitalized at Guardian Animal Hospital for Ruth until its
antibiotic course is completed.
The first hawk was shot (not the first time it was as there
were previous wounds) and the other was brought in with
minor injuries. The gunshot victim was released in the
spring of 2002 in Ashland, Kentucky and the other one with
the minor injuries will be released this weekend (around
March 13, 2004). For more info place your mouse on each pic.
Even though these are both called "partial albinos", neither
really is albino. They are actually "white" red-tails. Also
notice the differences between the two. One has a pale beak
and talons while the darker one has a dark beak and dark
talons. Notice the missing Patagial Marks in the darker
bird while it is being held up with the wings open!
Ruth......you're my new BEST FRIEND and thanks
again!
These sightings are listed in chronological order:
So. Goliad County Texas - first seen 11-11-98, last seen 2-11-00
These are the markings:
1. 90% white overall - head and chest snow white
2. Eyes black, beak black, legs yellow
3. Top of tail is rufous and white, probably 2/3 of tail feathers
are rufous and the other 1/3 are white.
4. Top of wings are white and have dark streaks at elbow.
5. I never got an under view of the wings. *added- under wings
mirror above, dark streaks at carpal bend and extending to outer
primary flight feathers. Under tail is dark, but is probably
rufous with better light. Here are pics of that bird:
White red-tail hawk spotted in Core, WV; email arrived
11/22/02 from Kimberly C. Thomas
White red-tail hawk spotted in Athens, TX; email arrived
12/08/02 from Kelly Ireland.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Spartanburg, SC; email arrived
03/08/03 from Tim Trott.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Lucasville, OH; email arrived
01/13/04 from Randy Rucker. This bird is a female and raised
two normal colored young last year.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Lee Co. Alabama; email arrived
03/05/04 from Dale Jackson.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Montrose, PA; email arrived on
04/20/04 from Hilary-Caws Elwitt.
White red-tail hawk spotted in the Triad Area of NC; email
arrived on 04/27/04 from Fred Fogg.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Sheboygan, WI; email arrived
on 07/14/04 from Sue Behr. Sue noted the hawk was solid white
with NO other coloring what so ever and it may have had pink
eyes but it was flying away too fast for a hard look at the
eyes.
White red-tail hawk spotted in Westminster, CO; email arrived
on 09/01/04 from Donna Nespoli. Here is what she wrote about
the bird: We have had a white Red-Tail with a full red tail
(Everything else is white and his beak and legs are yellow)
living here for years. He has even been in the newspaper! The
first time I saw it I was working on a prairie dog relocation
next to the Westminster Rec Center. He is a regular hunter at
this particular p-dog colony, and his mate is normal color.
Glad to see your site!
White red-tail(?) spotted in Monroe, MI; email arrived on
09/07/04 from Andrew Sturgess. He noted that they couldn't
positively identify it but it was a hawk by size and had
yellow feet. It was originally sitting on a pole and then
flew directly overhead. Here is a pic of it:
White red-tail spotted in Knox, NY; email arrived on 09/14/04
with the sighting taking place on 09/09/04 from Tim Sweeney.
A cream colored, melanistic red-tail hawk was spotted in
Charleston, WV on 09/23/04. The email arrived on 10/14/04.
Lori and her husband were driving through there when they
seen it. Lori's email: conchhorn@bardstown.com
White red-tail spotted in Fishers, NY; email arrived about
10/14/04 from Pat Deuel who works for Pooler Enterprises.
Pics below were taken by Betty Beckham who is the mother of
one of the employees at Pooler Enterprises. Pat's email:
pdeuel@poolerenterprises.com
White red-tail spotted in Drexel, MI; email arrived on
10/22/04 from David Phillips. The hawk has been near his
parents home for the past 2 years. Here is a pic of it in
flight. David's email: david@raccoon.com
White red-tail spotted in Catalina State Park in Tucson, AZ.
Email arrived 01/07/06 from Scott Soyer in Oro Valley, AZ who
sent the following email: White Red-tail hawk spotted
01/07/06 over Catalina State Park near northern Tucson, AZ.
Spent several minutes over the valley and met with another
red colored red-tail hawk, they circled together several
times and separated and then the albino departed east over
the mountains. It may return, I hope to get some pictures
with zoom next time.
White red-tail spotted in Sanford, FL in the Wekiva National
Park at 7:15 a.m. on 01/15/06 by Wanda Rublee. Here is what
she wrote: Hi Mr. Horvath: We have recently moved into a new
housing development which only has about 8 residents at this
time and since we are on the edge of the Wekiva National Park
we have expected to see the Florida black bear and panther.
The bear shows up in our yard every night at nine p.m. This
morning January 15, 2006, at 7:15 a.m. in Wekiva Park we saw
an Albino or White Raptor sail out of the old oak trees to
the ground to feed on something and the whiteness and wing
span was awesome. Having no camera handy we did not get a
picture. But the thrill of seeing such a rare bird was tre-
mendous. Wanda Rublee, Wekiva Park, Sanford, Florida 32771.
Partial albino red-tail hawk first spotted in Ohio on
02/24/07. The hawk has stayed in the same area and has been
spotted by Ron Warner on a daily basis. Chances are good that
it may stay and take a mate! Here are two pics that he took
of the gorgous bird:
04/07/07- Another partial albino red-tail hawk has been spot-
ted by Linda Muller in rappahannock County, VA. Here is what
she wrote to me:
We spotted an albino red tail hawk off of Route 211 (west) on
our way to Amissville Virginia in Rappahannock County VA. We
were driving W. on Route 211 just out of Warrenton VA when we
noticed a white bird perching on a branch just off the road.
It was so unusual we turned around and passed the spot again.
We knew it looked like a hawk but were taken back by its pure
white color. Our brother-in-law is a former falconer and he
told us that it could be an albino red-tail hawk. After view-
ing your pictures- there is no doubt it is an albino red tail.
We hope to get some photos in the near future. Thanks for your
site.
06/23/07 - White red-tail spotted in Westminster, CO. Email
and pic arrived today from Allen Whiteman (awhiteman@sco.edu)
which could possible be the same one spotted on 09/01/04 from
Donna Nespoli who is listed above. Here are two pics that
Allen took of the gorgous bird:
09/24/07 - White red-tail spotted on Highway 69 between Point
and Lone Oak, TX. It was near the Rains and Hunt county line.
Spotted by Robert Adler (txadler@verizon.net). Here is a pic
of it taken by Robert:
03/13/08 - I was excited to find your site and to find that
someone has posted sightings in westminster. I have followed
this bird for many years and watched him get moved at least
3 times. I am attaching two pics. Neither is very good qual-
ity as they are pictures of pictures. Crashed my computer
and lost all my pics. But you can see if you enlarge some of
the red tail detail. He is truly a magnificent bird and does
have a large red tail mate. I have never seen chicks come
from the nest however, my son says that two years ago there
were chicks in the nest. enjoy. ( my personal opinion of
the two pics from the gentleman in westminster is that it is
not the same bird as the sighting from Donna at 104th across
from the rec center / which is where our bird currently can
be found) you can notice the definite red in the tail and he
also has black under the wing which is noticeable when he
flies.) Thank you for your site. Lynn Stanley Here are a
couple pics that Lynn sent:
03/20/08 (email arrived) Taken summer of 2007, East Texas
near Lone Oak. Unfortunately a few weeks later we found this
hawk dead. It had been hit by a car. Pam Tignor Here are a
couple pics taken by Pam.
06/30/08 - We saw the bird for the 2nd time on 30 June, 2008.
It was flying around a rocky bluff located near the intersec-
tion of Union and Austin Bluffs Pkway in Colorado Springs at
12:30 p.m. I don’t recall the first time I saw it-but it was
within the last year. I was not 100% convinced that what I
had seen at the first sighting was an albino hawk. We saw the
hawk in the same exact area though. The second time the hawk
was flying with another redtail hawk-and that made it much
easier to identify as a hawk because you could compare the
two birds as they flew together. They also exhibited very
hawk like flying styles-catching wind over the bluff and rid-
ing thermals. My daughter, her boyfriend and I all agreed it
was a hawk. When I saw the bird, I said to my daughter-look
over on that bluff and tell me what you see flying over there
and she responded-WOW, a white hawk. I had not told her about
seeing the hawk the first time. My daughter and I are both
Native American, so we are constantly watching for hawks-so
she certainly knows hawks in flight. I have told a friend
of mine who is a wildlife photographer about the hawk. He is
going to that area to see if any of the residents in that
area know where the birds are, or have seen them. He said he
will try to get a picture of the bird(s). Will let you know
if he is able to get some good pictures. -- Patti Kryzanowski
A leukistic-morph Red-Tail at The Lindsay Wildlife Museum.
Update on photo above: I have recently corrisponded with the
Director of External Affairs, Sherrill Cook, from the Lindsay
Wildlife Museum. She informed me today, March 11, 2003 that the
bird pictured above died approximately 5 years ago of old age.
This is an article that was sent to me by someone from Texas. I
will quote it as written for your information.
[The larger pics of the "albino's" were supplied by myself and
were not part of the article. They are simply added for your
viewing pleasure].
Rare hawk's killing upsets Bee residents
"In an act of senseless destruction that shocked and
saddened many, a rare white bird of prey that charmed South
Texans was shot and its lifeless body left on a two-lane
road in Bee County, not far from where it had made its home
for several years.
An "Albino" Red-Tail hawk in Flight.
Photo by Jimmy Jackson
Jimmy Jackson, a real estate broker who first saw the bird
in October 1995 while looking for ranch property, said the
oddly colored red-tail hawk was a local favorite.
"We've all kept track of the bird," Jackson said. "It's
kind of a friend to everyone up here."
Now authorities are searching for whoever shot the
federally protected hawk about a week before Christmas, and a
reward fund of up to $1,000 has been established.
John Karger, executive director of the Last Chance Forever
Bird of Prey Conservancy, said that while red-tail hawks are
limited to North America, they are very common - although red-
tail hawks with white feathering are unusual.
"As a scientist and a biologist, I find them kind of
freaky," said Karger, who uses a live white red-tail hawk in
demonstrations to educate people about birds of prey.
"The average citizen loves white red-tails. I don't know
why that is, but it's a great phenomenon."
Henry Kendall, a master falconer in St. Louis who has
tracked reports of white red-tail hawks for more than a decade
reports of about 600 sightings of the oddly colored red-tails
throughout North America.
An "Albino" Red-Tail hawk perching.
Photo by Jimmy Jackson
"Only one pure white albino with pink eyes has ever been
spotted," said Kendall, who noted that the bird killed in Bee
County had dark eyes.
"Ther're magnificent creatures, and very elusive because of
their coloration."
Jackson regularly watched the all-white hawk as it perched
atop a phone pole alongside Texas 673 between Pawnee and Beeville
or in a nearby live oak tree.
But he couldn't get close enough to take a good photograph
until about two months ago.
"He was quite predictable," Jackson said. "But he was very
spooky. He'd always fly away."
"Dr. Lily Engles, president of the Texas Ornithological
Society, denounced the shooting.
"I think it's very sad that there are people out there that
shoot birds of prey and any of the nation's wildlife that are not
game animals for sport," Engles said.
Karger imagines that whoever killed the bird did so because
it stood out and was different.
A Partial Albino Red-Tail hawk.
Photo by Roy Lukes
"This particular bird, being a white bird, that's just a fun
target, that's what this was," said Karger, who added the shooter
should not be confused with sportsman and women.
"He was not shot by a hunter," Karger said.
"He was shot by someone who was uneducated and an idiot, and
in my opinion, a slob."
Tom Mason, a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service in Corpus Christi who is investigating the case, recently
retrieved the dead bird from the Beeville resident who found it
in the center of Texas 673.
He declined to discuss the specifics of the case.
Mason did say that whoever shot the bird could be punished
with a $5,000 fine and six months in jail for violating the
Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
The bird's apparent mate - she doesn't have any white
feathers - still shows up at the phone pole in vain, Mason said.
He urged anyone with information about the case to call the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's operation Game Thief at
(800) 792-4263.
Mason said only a few birds of prey are killed each year in
Texas -a far cry from the day when raptors were universally dis-
patched as "chicken hawks" by farmers and ranchers.
"Ther're no threat to property. Ther're no threat to
people," Mason said, adding that hawks help keep rodent
populations in check. "They're a benefit."
Jackson said he previously was wary of publicizing the
hawk's existence.
"We worried about it, because we know there are people out
there who are spoilers, they're going to try and knock down
something that's attractive to other people," he said.
Now that the white hawk is dead, Jackson said he hopes news
stories about the incident and possible prosecution will help
prevent future shootings of federally protected raptors.
"Hopefully, this will be the end of that type of activity,"
he said.
A Partial Albino Red-Tail hawk.
Photo by Roy Lukes
My Personal Thoughts
I have personally seen a partial red-tail hawk in Logan,
Utah. It was in 1984 and a friend and myself spent three
months trying to trap it to take photographs of it. The bird
was a female and was very elusive. We could not get closer
than about 300 to 500 yards from her before she took to the
air.
These birds are very, very rare! U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service needs to impliment heavier fines for such birds; or any
other species that is found offering an "oddity" color phase no
matter what species it is. Also, they need to actually fine
the person the stated amount and give him/her the maximum jail
sentence. Screw this "first time offense" crap! They violated
the law, so punish them to the fullest extent! After all,
they killed one of "our" animals. An animal that belongs to
everyone of us who enjoy wildlife and animals in general.
All too often people who commit crimes, especially those
against animals, are caught, simply given a small slap on the
wrist and maybe a small [for sake of argument] $500 fine. This
is not good enough. It immediately implants a message in that
persons head that they can "basically get away with it." And
with that in their small, feable, little mind, they will do
it again if given the chance!
If the justice system was enforced against these violaters
and poachers, there would be much less killing of our protected
species.
Just a little note. While we were trying to capture the
bird mentioned above, we had a valid Raptor Capture Permit in
our possession. Keep in mind that it is illegal for any person
to trap, catch, possess, transfer, barter, sale or trade
wildlife without a valid permit from their State and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.
If you have comments on this article or my personal
thoughts or anything about wildlife and the laws governing it,
feel free to drop me a line.
December 16, 2006
I, the owner of this page, spotted a partial albino Bald
Eagle in Fairview, UT sitting with two adult Bald Eagles. I
tried to get a pic of it using my digital camera but it didn't
turn out because it was too far away and I had forgotten to
take my 35mm camera and lenses with me. This bird was a sub 2
by the 1/2 brown 1/2 white of the head and tail. It's breast,
wings and back were about 60 percent white and it had its
beautiful yellow beak and feet. However, the white in the
head and tail could have also been part of the leukistic color.
North Goliad County , Tx December 17, 2006
I first saw this bird in Feb. '04 and just had a short glimpse
at 200 yards away , but others had seen the bird well. Contin-
ued getting reports in 2005 . In early December 2006 received
a good photo from a local man, Scott Smejkal . Drove out there
on December 17 and found the bird easily & got some diagnostic
pictures w/ 400 lens. The pictures had to be zoomed and cropped
but did show nearly all the marks. This bird had some small
dark marking on its upper neck and looked dirty yellow/orange
below. The tail had a orangish tint but the overall appearance
of the bird from a distance was totally white. Here are pics
of that bird from Liza Bridge:
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