A partial albino Black-throated Blue Warbler was observed on May 7, 8, and 9, 2008 at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area boardwalk. I watched it for a few minutes at about 1:30 p.m. on May 9. I saw at least two photographers snapping photos of the bird, but I'm unaware of any photos being posted on the Internet. It was a fascinating bird to watch.

The markings I remember most about the bird and noted right away included :

• pale pinkish-orange bill and legs
• tiny bit of dark smudging around the dark eyes
• some dark smudging on the top of the head
• sides of head white
• black on the throat

I did not pay attention to how and where the smudging on the top of the head transitioned into the normal dark blue on the back of the bird.

I also did not pay attention to how the markings on the front of the bird transitioned into the colors by the wing.

I believe the bird looked like a normal Black-throated Blue Warbler everywhere except on the head and legs.

I should have been more observant, but the head was striking with the sides of the head white, except for the eye area, and the light-colored pink-orange bill.

The bird was first reported by Rick N on the Toledo Naturalists message board on May 7, 2008.

To me, the bill and legs did not look yellow, but that could be our eye differences and the type of sun-lighting we had on our respective days. The bill and legs did appear to be the same color, which, again was a washed out orange or pink or some combination of the two.

Photos and drawings of a normal-looking Black-throated Blue Warbler :

And now my attempt at sketching the bird I saw. Obviously, I drew the head too large. Although the actual bird did appear to have a big head because it was white.

Official term for this type of coloration is Leucistic or Leucism.