Rare albino sparrow is all white with bird lover
A MYSTERY white bird has caused something of a flutter in an Oldbury street.
Resident Debbie Hughes spotted the unusual colourless bird at her feeder and assumed it must be a budgie or even a fancy pigeon.
But when she looked closely, she realised she could be looking at an all white sparrow – a one in a million spot.
The enchanting little bird has been bopping about her lawn with the other sparrows as though it was one of their flock.
But it’s startling appearance might make it a target for predators.
Mrs Hughes, a 51-year-old self-employed gift maker, said: “I first spotted it on April 25. We have a feeder and some fancy pigeons which visit and I thought it that’s not them.
“I thought is it a budgie and then thought no.
“I took some pictures and thought it’s a sparrow.
“I looked it up and tweeted the RSPB and they said ‘nice find’ and here’s some links about different pigmentation in birds.
“They did not say it is not a sparrow. They did not dispute it wasn’t a sparrow so you can assume it was.
“I have enjoyed watching it. It comes everyday and it seems to have made itself at home with a bunch of sparrows.
“It’s quite nice to see everyday. A bit of positivity. “Let’s hope it does survive.” Birmingham Post journalist Mike Lockley, who is a bird enthusiast, said: “What a one in a million spot! At first I thought I was looking at a robin, but one image shows the bird with a house sparrow.
“It’s the first pure white sparrow I’ve seen in half a century of birdwatching.
“The beak shows it’s a newly fledged bird and, sadly, the odds are against its survival.
“The plumage flags it up to predators.
“So make the most of this superb rarity.”