Angel Bird

The flash of white was dazzling! I was sitting by my breakfast table table window reading the Sunday paper (yes, we still subscribe) and drinking coffee. My bird feeding station is right outside this window and when I saw the flash, I glanced up and saw a dazzling white bird on the sunflower seed feeder. I knew immediately it was a rare bird, although I did not know the species immediately. The fact that it was white was the unique part. We have white birds in Virginia, but they are mainly, Egrets, Gulls, and Terns and this was obviously a songbird. I grabbed my camera on the way out the backdoor.
Of course, the white bird flew to a tree for shelter immediately. But, I possess the gift of patience and I settled into a deck chair to wait.
It was fortunately,  a short wait. A family of House Finches descended on the feeder within about 10 minutes. This is a common songbird species here. I have found them nesting in my hanging plants. House Finches generally nest in a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees. They also nest in or on buildings, using sites like vents, ledges, street lamps, ivy….and hanging planters! I watched them nonchalantly, until the white bird flew to join them. She landed on a perch and started begging the adult female House Finch for food. The female House Finch obliged and fed her!! So, that was white bird’s mother, I surmised. That made the white bird a House Finch! What a treat!!!
In about 15 minutes, the whole House Finch family was gone. I hoped they’d return but they didn’t, so I went inside to process my photos on my computer. It was then that I realized that the white bird was a leucistic bird rather than an albino. Leucistic means there is partial loss of pigmentation in an animal—which causes white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticle, but not the eyes. The white bird had all white feathers but the eyes were brown, like a classic House Finch. An albino would have shown pink or red eye color.
The next day, and then the following several days, the House Finch family including the white beauty, returned to my yard to feed. I was now referring to the leucistic House Finch as the “angel bird.” It seemed only fitting. It was white, like an angel and had angel like wings. It had appeared at a time in my life when I appreciated a small miracle. I spent countless hours in my yard, observing the House Finch family and their sweet angel bird.
When they didn’t return, I was very disappointed but happy that the entire family appeared happy and healthy during the short time they spent with me. I learned a lot about the House Finch, as a species. That it itself was a priceless experience.
But, the story does not end there. Months and now years later, I am still learning that the angel bird visited other yards in the neighborhood during the time I observed her and her family. She left an indelible impression on a lot of humans during her short visit here. We can learn a lot from our feathered friends. Godspeed, Angel Bird!