[mou] partial albino GGO

[Peder Svingen]

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004 Byokel@aol.com wrote:

> Pentti Alaja and Heimo Mikkola have apparently published information about
> albinism in GGOW, but thus far I have unable to locate this information...
>

Ben and Steve,

"Albinism in the Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) and other owls" by
Alaja and Mikkola was published on pp. 33_37 in:
Duncan, J.R., D.H. Johnson, and T.H. Nicholls (eds.). 1997. Biology and
Conservation of Owls of the Northern Hemisphere. USDA Forest Service
General Technical Report NC-190.

The authors note that although total and/or incomplete albinism has been
reported in 13 different owl species, the Great Gray is the only species
of owl with more than five published records, as follows:

27 March into November 1994, Vesanto, Finland and probably the same bird
(based on comparison of photos) 165 km farther north in March 1995 near
Kajaani, Finland, incomplete albino (Blue Jay 52:228, Dutch Birding
1/95:19_20).

(no dates) 1980 in Targhee National Forest, Idaho, followed by several
observations between 1990 and 1992 in SE Idaho about 112 km from the
Targhee N.F. site, male incomplete albino, mated with normally-plumaged
female and raised normally-plumaged young (Blue Jay 53:197_199).

(no dates) two or three partial albino Great Grays in Yellowstone N.P.
seen by Terry McEneaney fide D.W. Holt (Canadian Field-Naturalist
109:121_122).

prior to mid-1980s, five Great Grays with some abnormal white feathers
noted by Herbert Copeland and Robert Nero among 300+ live and 80 dead
Great Grays examined (Blue Jay 42:173_174).

June 1990 near Norway House, Manitoba, incomplete albino (Blue Jay 49:31).

December 1990 different incomplete albino north of Winnipeg (Blue Jay
49:32).

The article includes photographs of the Finland and Idaho birds, defines
all of the terms referred to above, and lists records of albinism in other
species of owls. Based on this information, a note of interest in The Loon
regarding the melanistic and albinistic Great Grays seen in Minnesota,
especially if accompanied by photographs, would make a fine contribution
to the world literature.

---
Peder H. Svingen - psvingen@d.umn.edu - Duluth, MN