Albino Robin

(2009, January 1 to May 19)

Greg Ordy

Introduction

This page contains information and pictures for the 2009 year, up through May 19th. It was created because the 2006 through 2008 page was simply getting to be too big for a reasonable download time. Please consult that page for much more information and pictures.

Once this page started to get a big long, I created a second page for 2009. I did this at a time when I received pictures of the first new albino fledglings of the season.

Other Sightings

Here are the sightings that I've heard about since January 1, 2009. These reports came to me via email.

  1. January 24, 2009, Kim, Colorado
  2. January 25, 2009, Berry, Alabama
  3. February 1, 2009, Norton, Kansas
  4. February 7, 2009, Indianapolis, Indiana
  5. February 8, 2009, Elma, Washington
  6. February 10, 2009, Georgetown, Kentucky
  7. February 15, 2009, Norcross, Georgia
  8. February 16, 2009, Rougemont, North Carolina
  9. February 18, 2009, Rockville, Maryland (2 partial albinos sighted, one nearly pure white)
  10. February 20, 2009, Peoria, Illinois (up to 3 partial albinos sighted in the same group)
  11. February 21, 2009, Albany, Ohio
  12. February 23, 2009, Montague, California
  13. February 28, 2009, Veedersburg, Indiana
  14. February 28, 2009, Moab, Utah
  15. March 1, 2009, Ormond Beach, Florida
  16. March 9, 2009, Parma, Ohio (90% albino)
  17. March 15, 2009, Jamesville, North Carolina
  18. March 15, 2009, Hudson, South Dakota
  19. March 16, 2009, Hood River, Oregon (all white with a pale orange breast)
  20. March 16, 2009, Grosse Pointe, Michigan
  21. March 18, 2009, South Haven, Michigan
  22. March 23, 2009, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
  23. March 24, 2009, Heathsville, Virginia
  24. March 25, 2009, Elgin, Illinois
  25. March 29, 2009, Ellicott City, Maryland
  26. March 29, 2009, Strawberry Point, Iowa
  27. March 31, 2009, Reading, Massachusetts
  28. April 1, 2009, Niles, Michigan
  29. April 3, 2009, Kincardine, Ontario, Canada (on Lake Huron)
  30. April 4, 2009, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
  31. April 7, 2009, Bellevue, Ohio
  32. April 8, 2009, Atherton, California
  33. April 9, 2009, New Berlin, Wisconsin
  34. April 10, 2009, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
  35. April 10, 2009, Belleville, Ontario, Canada
  36. April 11, 2009, Martinsburg, West Virginia
  37. April 12, 2009, Westwood, New Jersey
  38. April 13, 2009, Northbrook, Illinois
  39. April 14, 2009, Des Moines, Iowa
  40. April 15, 2009, Aurora, Illinois
  41. April 17, 2009, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
  42. April 17, 2009, Marshall, Minnesota
  43. April 19, 2009, Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
  44. April 19, 2009, Uniontown, Ohio
  45. April 19, 2009, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
  46. April 19, 2009, Sharon, Vermont
  47. April 19, 2009, Manchester, New Hampshire
  48. April 20, 2009, Northfield, Minnesota
  49. April 20, 2009, Crown Point, Indiana
  50. April 22, 2009, Fargo, North Dakota
  51. April 25, 2009, Indianapolis, Indiana (a different partial albino was in the same neighborhood last year)
  52. April 26, 2009, Livonia, Michigan
  53. April 28, 2009, Fargo, North Dakota
  54. April 29, 2009, Brodhead, Wisconsin
  55. April 30, 2009, Apalachin, New York
  56. May 1, 2009, New Richmond, Wisconsin
  57. May 3, 2009, Tell City, Indiana
  58. May 6, 2009, Hudsonville, Michigan
  59. May 7, 2009, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  60. May 13, 2009, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  61. May 13, 2009, Elkton, Maryland
  62. May 14, 2009, Richmond, Virginia
  63. May 15, 2009, Rogers, Arkansas

Shared Pictures

As was the case in 2008, here are pictures graciously emailed to me from folks who have spotted albino robins.

Montague, California

I learned about this bird on February 23, 2009. It has been hanging around in Montague, California, for about a month. Montague is about 20 miles from Oregon, in northern California.

Albino Robin, February 23, 2009, Montague, California USA

Veedersburg, Indiana

This nearly pure albino robin came from Veedersburg, Indiana, on March 1, 2009.

Albino Robin, March 1, 2009, Veedersburg, Indiana USA

Norcross, Georgia

These pictures were taken on March 13, 2009. Odds are good that the same bird was in the same area in late October or early November of 2008.

Albino Robin, February 15, 2009, Norcross, Georgia USA

Rougemont, North Carolina

This picture was taken in February of 2009. The bird was interacting with other robins, and appears to be a pure albino from the picture. After more inspection by the folks, the eyes are black, not pink, so, this cannot be a pure albino.

Albino Robin, March 1, 2009, Rougemont, North Carolina USA

Hudson, South Dakota

This bird was spotted in Hudson, South Dakota. Hudson is about 40 mile southeast of Sioux Falls. If you click on the picture to get the full view, it is an especially nice shot, with the normal robin to the right.

Albino Robin, March 15, 2009, Hudson, South Dakota USA

Hood River, Oregon

This bird reminds me of the one that visited my yard. It's white with a pale orange breast.

Albino Robin, March 16, 2009, Hood River, Oregon USA

Jamesville, North Carolina

This variation features a white head. It is similar to the bird from Montague, California.

Albino Robin, March 15, 2009, Jamesville, North Carolina USA

Grosse Pointe, Michigan

This partial albino was seen around March 16, 2009. The photographer reports that they believe they saw the same bird in the area last year.

Albino Robin, March 16, 2009, Grosse Pointe, Michigan USA

Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania

This partial albino was photographed on March 23, 2009.

Albino Robin, March 23, 2009, Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania USA

Heathsville, Virginia

This bird appears to be a pure albino, although the eyes do not seem to be pink. If it is pure, then that is very rare for this time of year. That is because pure albinos, with pink eyes, apparently become blind after exposure to the Sun's UV light, and may not even survive over their first winter.

Albino Robin, March 24, 2009, Heathsville, Virginia USA

Ellicott City, Maryland

This bird has been in the neighborhood for a few weeks, and was finally captured in a picture.

Albino Robin, March 29, 2009, Ellicott City, Maryland USA

The same Ellicott City robin has started to build a nest outside of the photographer's house. Here it is seen gathering materials. These pictures were taken in early May. They are going to be in the area for a long time.

Albino Robin, May 4, 2009, Ellicott City, Maryland USA

Reading, Massachusetts

This bird has been seen for several days in the same park, hanging out with a large flock of normal robins.

Albino Robin, March 31, 2009, Reading, Massachusetts USA

St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

The photographer reports that they believe this bird has set up a nest in their yard.

Albino Robin, April 4, 2009, St. Thomas, Ontario Canada

Bellevue, Ohio

This bird was sighted in Bellevue, Ohio, about 15 miles from the popular Cedar Point Amusement Park.

Albino Robin, April 7, 2009, Bellevue, Ohio USA

Atherton, California

This bird has been enjoying the spring rains with its normally colored mate.

Albino Robin, April 8, 2009, Atherton, California USA

Belleville, Ontario, Canada

This bird has been in the family backyard for more than a month.

Albino Robin, April 10, 2009, Belleville, Ontario, Canada

Westwood, New Jersey

Albino Robin, April 12, 2009, Westwood, New Jersey USA

Des Moines, Iowa

Albino Robin, April 14, 2009, Des Moines, Iowa USA

Aurora, Illinois

These pictures were taken on April 15th, 2009 in Aurora, Illinois. Hopefully the robin filed their income tax before posing.

Albino Robin, April 15, 2009, Aurora, Illinois USA

Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

This is the second season that this bird has visited the same yard.

Albino Robin, April 17, 2009, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Marshall, Minnesota

Albino Robin, April 17, 2009, Marshall, Minnesota USA

Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

This bird has been sighted several times over the last few weeks. The town is located on Vancouver Island.

Albino Robin, April 19, 2009, Duncan, British Columbia, Canada

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

Albino Robin, April 19, 2009, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada

Sharon, Vermont

Albino Robin, April 19, 2009, Sharon, Vermont USA

Crown Point, Indiana

Albino Robin, April 20, 2009, Crown Point, Indiana USA

Northfield, Minnesota

These two robins have been hanging out together for a number of days, and may be in the process of setting up a nest in the nearby yard.

Albino Robin, April 27, 2009, Northfield, Minnesota

Fargo, North Dakota

One wonders if this is the same bird that was spotted on April 22 by a different person. The descriptions match very closely.

Albino Robin, April 28, 2009, Fargo, North Dakota

Brodhead, Wisconsin

This robin has been in the neighborhood for several weeks, and finally posed for these very nice pictures.

Albino Robin, April 29, 2009, Brodhead, Wisconsin USA

Apalachin, New York

Albino Robin, April 30, 2009, Apalachin, New York USA

Tell City, Indiana

Albino Robin, May 3, 2009, Tell City, Indiana USA

Hudsonville, Michigan

This bird has been in the visiting the family yard since early April. The eagle-eyed 14 year old son spotted and identified the albino robin. The bird finally was captured by the camera.

Albino Robin, May 6, 2009, Hudsonville, Michigan USA

Moab, Utah

This bird has been hanging out at the family campground in Moab, Utah, since the end of February.  Hopefully it observes all posted rules, and only discards rubbish into approved receptacles.

Albino Robin, May 6, 2009, Moab, Utah USA
Albino Robin, May 6, 2009, Moab, Utah USA

Manchester, New Hampshire

This picture was taken on April 19th, 2009.

Albino Robin, April 19, 2009, Manchester, New Hampshire USA

Niles, Michigan

These pictures were taken on April 1st, 2009. The bird is still in the yard into May, and is hanging around with a normal robin.

Albino Robin, April 1, 2009, Niles, Michigan USA

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Albino Robin, May 7, 2009, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Elkton, Maryland

This is an interesting sighting. A sharp-eyed observer noticed this bird while spending the evening with their one year old daughter. While there is white mixed in with the normal feathers, it is a rather low percentage. I'm not enough of a bird watcher to know if this is a partial albino, or, perhaps an immature normal robin coming into their adult colors. Please click on the picture for a larger view. Here is a link to a picture of an immature robin on the Wikimedia site. Here is a second link to a picture. What catches my eye are the white feather tips. On the other hand, the date of this picture was early May in Maryland, which I would think is a bit too early for an immature robin. Here is an interesting link to a timeline on the family life of robins. A bird as mature as the one in the picture below seems to appear about a month later.

Albino Robin(?), May 13, 2009, Elkton, Maryland

Rogers, Arkansas

This proud bird appears to be posing for the camera.

Albino Robin, May 15, 2009, Rogers, Arkansas USA

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Last update: Friday, June 12, 2009 05:55:34 PM
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