Date: 8/8/25 4:19 pm From: Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> Subject: Re: White-bellied Barn Swallow
A leucistic squirrel sometimes visits us. It is very pretty. Only the color gray is missing, making the normally gristled area look tan. Overall the squirrel has more contrast than usual, being tan and white.
On Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 02:34:43 PM CDT, Adam Schaffer <000000135bd342dd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
The one I saw did not look lecuistic. Its colors were all very bright. It really seemed to match the picture of Hirundo rustica rustica that I saw. I just don’t know how likely that is, but it seemed to match to me. I mean we all know how easy it is to miss field marks on a single swallow in a feeding flock, but it stood out to be sure.
Adam SchafferBentonville
On Aug 5, 2025, at :34 PM, Carol Joan Patterson <0000003a0ccbe138-dmarc-request...> wrote:
I have seen leucistic animals of multiple species, perhaps this is an example.
On Monday, July 28, 2025 at 02:08:22 PM CDT, Ian MacGregor <00000489141846bd-dmarc-request...> wrote:
This morning while searching in vain for a lost lens cap at Charlie Craig, I noticed an adult Barn Swallow in excellent plumage with a gleaming white underparts. It really stood out from the other swallows. I also saw one last spring, and IIRC, Robert Langston also reported onefrom Charlie Craig as well. I've seen young Barn Swallows that look whitish, but this was definitely and adult with a deeply forked tail and underparts sa white as a Tree Swallow's. It also had a reddish throat. I cannot say for certain if it had the blue breast-band. I think it did, but I did not note it.
I doubt it was Hirundo rustica rustica, but it sure looked like one. What is a more plausible explanation as to what type of Barn Swallow this might be?
Unfortunately, my camera battery died, so no photographs.
