ALbino/leucistic kestrel (1 Viewer)

jonafly

Well-known member

• Jan 19, 2007

• #1

Hi everyone,

If I am not very much mistaken, I just saw an albino kestrel above the meadows in the east of Holland (Ootmarsum). Off course I had no binoculars or camera with me, so it could have been leucistic aswell. It flew like a kestrel, wingshape was like kestrel, so was tail and that's as far as I could see. The strong winds took it away very swiftly. But it was completely white. IFor a moment I thought it also might have been some sort of domestic pigeon, but the shape was unmistakebly. I'll go back tomorrow to try to grab it on cam.
Has anyone any idea if it would be albino or leucistic or maybe a runaway from a falconry (although I don't know anyone in the neighbourhood with a falconry).

Thanks in advance,

André Jas

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• Jan 19, 2007

• #2

Kestrels aren't typically used in falconry I guess. There have been a few white "gyrfalcons" around in the Netherlands in recent years (usually Saker × Gyr hybrids), but they're a lot bigger.
I hope you'll get a picture!

 

jonafly

Well-known member

• Jan 19, 2007

• #3

Hi Xenospiza,

Thanks for reacting. I have seen a hybrid saker x gyr in the south of France once, and that was a lot bigger. This one was really the size of a (male) kestrel. I'll do my best to shoot it (with my camera off course!.

André

 

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member

• Jan 19, 2007

• #4

Hi Andre,

Nice to hear from you!

I have some books on kestrel biology, somewhere in there was something about colour aberrations, among other colour abberations albinotic or leucistic kestrels were mentioned... I´ll look it up this weekend ; I think there was even a black and white photograph of such a bird (I hope i don´t forget)...

Regards, Jörn

 

JRE

Guest

• Jan 19, 2007

• #5

I recall an albino Kestrel being seen in Wales in 2005.....

 

lockbreeze926

Well-known member

• Jan 19, 2007

• #6

Some images here -

http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/image/?s=4754947&sid=0
http://212.227.92.102/img/16238/wm/pd785034.jpg

 

James Thomas

Well-known member

• Jan 19, 2007

• #7

The Firecrest said:

I recall an albino Kestrel being seen in Wales in 2005.....

Click to expand...

Driving on a dual carriageway at the time so unable to get the best of views but I'm sure I saw one in Bradford in 2006.

 

jonafly

Well-known member

• Mar 4, 2007

• #8

Hi again,
Thanks for all the reactions. Haven't seen it again, and now I won't be able to anymore, because I moved to Germany. Georgsdorf (Georgetown) near Nordhorn.

André