Half-white blackbird ruffles feathers in Donegal

An unusual bird is ruffling feathers with residents on a Co Donegal housing estate.

The bird arrived in recent days into gardens at Mountaintop in Letterkenny. It looked like it was a blackbird apart from one small thing – it was half white.

Residents sent pictures of the bird to Birdwatch Ireland to find out what it was, and Niall Hatch solved the mystery in seconds.It turns out the bird is indeed a blackbird, but it has a genetic condition called leucism.

Mr Hatch says the condition causes birds to lack normal pigmentation in some of its feathers and so it appears white.

First discovery in Ireland of invasive hornet species that threatens pollinators

---

Temple Bar outlets plan for 3,000 outdoor diners when Covid curbs eased

---

More than two-thirds of citizens want national climate targets raised – EU poll

---

Dublin City Council plans for outdoor dining on Capel Street published

---

“It is rare, but we do get a few reports of it each year. It can occur in pretty much any species, but for some reason seems to be most frequent, though still very rare, in blackbirds.”