Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), Oro Valley, Pima County

This Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk was photographed by John Williams on 09 January 2016

This individual has reportably been present at this location for several weeks. It is likely the same as this individual photographed in 2007. Posting to the listserve Sheri Williamson writes that these are almost certainly the same individuals and "what's intriguing is the loss of pigment from a few additional feathers sometime in the last nine years. In true partial leucism, the extent of white plumage doesn't change with age. This distinguishes it from "progressive graying" or "progressive piebaldism," in which an affected bird starts out with normal, fully pigmented plumage and gradually acquires white feathers individually and in small patches as it ages. An affected bird that lives long enough may become entirely white (and Red-tailed Hawks can live more than 30 years). The two conditions are probably not mutually exclusive, in which case progressive graying could cause a partially leucistic bird to acquire more white with age."

White/leucistic Red-tailed Hawks are uncommon, but this species tends to show this plumage abnormality more often than many others. Though this individual is nearly white note the red in the tail as well as the structure.

09 January 2016, photo by John Williams

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