Leucism And Albinism in American Robins
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This is the American Robin, found in all parts of North America throughout the year, it is
widely known for its red breast. The red colouring found on the American Robin is due to the
carotenoid pigments found in the bird's feathers. In the same way, the presence of the pigment,
Melanin causes the grey, darker coloured feathers. So what happens when Melanin is lacking? Partial
albinism. This inherited condition also known as Leucism is caused when an organism has
a low concentration of melanin due to genetic variations. Here is a leucistic american robin.
Note how you can see patches and streaks of colour in the beak and in its feathers. Albinism
on the other hand is when melanin is completely absent which can cause the entire bird or
animal to be white. Leucism and albinism only affect the appearance of the animal, there
is no difference internally. You can watch for leucism and albinism in other wildlife
species too.
