The term leucism comes from the Greek word leukos, meaning "white." Animals with albinism also may appear to have red eyes, but leucism does not affect eye color. This causes a completely white appearance, whereas leucistic animals only have a partial loss of pigmentation that tends to create a more patchy lightness. Albino animals do not produce any melanin at all. The condition is similar to albinism, but it's distinguished by several key characteristics. The staff at the wildlife center determined the bird was not an eagle, but rather a red-tailed hawk with leucism. He drove it to the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center to receive care. Since it couldn't fly or even remain steady on its limbs, the hawk was kept in a cage until it could be turned over to Pennsylvania Game Commission warden Philip Bietsch, who retrieved the animal on March 25.īietsch was also unsure of the bird's species. ![]() The bird's light feathering initially suggested that it might have been a juvenile bald eagle.Īfter a few days, the person who spotted the bird safely removed it from the branch with a towel. The person who found the bird initially noticed that it had remained in a low branch without moving for three days straight. The Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in Lancaster County shared the female hawk's story on Facebook after it was found last month in Mercersburg. This results in light-colored feathers due to a lack of normal melanin production in the cells that would create the darker pigmentation typical of the species. Unrelated to the hawk's predicament, it was found to have a rare genetic condition known as leucism. Keeping exotic animals as pets is a potentially fatal mistake, says Philly zookeeper.North Wildwood police warn pet owners of coyote sightings.Rumored black panther in South Jersey was just a large dog, police say.
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