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BC bird lover's feeder visited by rare albino 'ghost' magpie

Rare 'ghost' magpie

Fort St. John bird enthusiast Cara Moore has a lot of birds — more than she can count — feed at her house throughout the week.

Lately, however, she's noticed one that stands out from the rest.

Included in the group of magpies that visit her bird feeders is a rare ghost magpie, named as such because of its light-grey and white feathers, instead of the black and blue of most magpies.

Moore, who runs a small bird rescue from her house, said most species of birds can have an albino appearance. The rare colouring is the result of leucism, a genetic mutation resulting in a loss of pigmentation in a bird’s feathers.

“I was surprised to spot it. I was very happy to see it,” said Moore. "It’s not something you see every day and it’s always cool to see something different."

A ghost magpie was spotted and reported in Edmonton in 2016.



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