A rare white puffin has been spotted on a small island off the Sutherland coast in the Highlands.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) said the bird was first seen on Handa Island in mid-June by seabird fieldworker Dora Hamilton.
The young puffin has only a few black feathers and its bill is largely orange.
SWT said the bird's lack of pigmentation was caused by a genetic condition called leucism.
The trust manages the island as a wildlife reserve.
From the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland- ... s-57678621 Includes more pictures.
Image: Dora Hamilton
Rare White Puffin Spotted on Scottish Island
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Rare White Puffin Spotted on Scottish Island
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Re: Rare White Puffin Spotted on Scottish Island
Wow, thankyou for posting that Boatbuilder. Very special, hope it survives.
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Re: Rare White Puffin Spotted on Scottish Island
He (or she) looks like he/she's fallen into a bucket of white paint!
Yes, I hope so too. Good thing the island is a nature reserve — I'm sure that will help.Aussie Sue wrote: ↑01 Jul 2021, 13:20 Wow, thankyou for posting that Boatbuilder. Very special, hope it survives.
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Re: Rare White Puffin Spotted on Scottish Island
Aw! I've had a fondness for puffins ever since I read The Sea of Adventure as a child.
The story reminds me of the recent sighting of a yellow king penguin in South Georgia:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... n-atlantic
The story reminds me of the recent sighting of a yellow king penguin in South Georgia:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... n-atlantic
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