A very rare colour morph of the tropicbird (Phaethontidae) (1 Viewer)

[Zoologist from the Med.]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to ask for some advice regarding a colour morph of the tropicbird I had once seen illustrated in a library book whose name I don't clearly remember. All I know, is that I remember seeing a colour illustration of a.........(I know it sounds ridiculous) a "pink morph tropicbird." On the internet I've never found any photos of such a thing, nor do I have one illustrated/photographed on a book I own at home. Does anyone know something about this please?

P.S. I know about golden morph tropicbirds.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Not sure about it being a morph but some birds can have their feather colour affected by their diet, that's why Flamingoes are pink for example.

 

[Zoologist from the Med.]

Not sure about it being a morph but some birds can have their feather colour affected by their diet, that's why Flamingoes are pink for example.

Then what fish could cause a tropicbird's feathers turn pink?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Then what fish could cause a tropicbird's feathers turn pink?

More likely a fruit?

Just to say that with Flamingoes, it's a shrimp, not a fish.

 

[Zoologist from the Med.]

More likely a fruit?

Just to say that with Flamingoes, it's a shrimp, not a fish.

But tropicbirds don't eat fruit

 

[Andy Adcock]

But tropicbirds don't eat fruit

I said 'some birds' not 'all birds', Tropicbirds are not one of those affected by diet, theirs plumage is genetic I believe.

 

[tconzemi]

The Christmas Island birds were designated as a separate subspecies on the basis of their unique, golden-apricot coloured plumage (cf. the white plumage of lepturus and the three other traditionally recognized subspecies of White-tailed Tropicbird) (Gibson-Hill 1950; del Hoyo et al. 1992; Johnstone & Darnell 2004a). However, it has since been shown that the golden plumage morph also occurs, albeit at a much lower ratio, in populations of lepturus, and in the three other traditionally recognized subspecies (the newly discovered Europa Island subspecies has a high frequency of golden morphs).

https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=66986

 

[rkj]

For a lovely photo of this striking bird: White-tailed Tropicbird (Golden Bosun)

 

[Denna Smith]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to ask for some advice regarding a colour morph of the tropicbird I had once seen illustrated in a library book whose name I don't clearly remember. All I know, is that I remember seeing a colour illustration of a.........(I know it sounds ridiculous) a "pink morph tropicbird." On the internet I've never found any photos of such a thing, nor do I have one illustrated/photographed on a book I own at home. Does anyone know something about this please?

P.S. I know about golden morph tropicbirds.

I have seen it… when they get mad they turn pink. I had one nest next to my front door on Midway Island by Hawaii.

 

[Zoologist from the Med.]

I have seen it… when they get mad they turn pink. I had one nest next to my front door on Midway Island by Hawaii.

Really!?😂. Do you by any chance have a picture of this most absurd adaptation?