California Scrub Jay

California Scrub Jay

This very pale California (Western) Scrub Jay is presumably a leucistic form. Despite this being a commonly used word in birding circles, I was surprised not to find the word ‘leucistic’ in the Oxford English Dictionary. I believe that it indicates a genetic defect which causes this whitish pigmentation in the feathers.

Country: USA
Location: Monterey, CA
Family: Crows, Jays (Corvidae)
Species: California Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Date taken: 07/03/2012