Gold Finch with a White Cap? (1 Viewer)

[Pugsiamese]

Help!! Information!

I photograghed a A Goldfinch(not yet gold, as its early spring in Vermont) with a White Cap! It looks like its "Bald", but feathered snowy white. Does anyone know why this would be? It was with a Huge Flock gathered around our feeder.

Does anyone have thoughts or information on this? Has anyone else ever seen this before.

~N. Vermont

 

[Dave B Smith]

Hello Pugsiamese,
On behalf of the staff, welcome to the Birdforum. Cdertainly sounds like an interesting bird you saw! The term for a partially white (where it shouldn't be) bird is "leucistic".

 

[Pugsiamese]

bald gold finch

Hello Pugsiamese,
On behalf of the staff, welcome to the Birdforum. Cdertainly sounds like an interesting bird you saw! The term for a partially white (where it shouldn't be) bird is "leucistic".

Do we know why this happens?

 

[robinm]

Hi and welcome to BirdForum :t:

 

[Raptor 01]

Hello and welcome to BirdForum.

Geoff. |=)|

 

[marinvalkyrie]

I have recently begun seeing one just like Pugsiamese mentions. It appears with the other Lesser Goldfinches. I have seen it nearly every day for the last couple of weeks. It is such a pronounced marking....very similar to the golden crown on the Golden Crowned Sparrow.