SHARP-eyed George Crawford from West Kilbride spotted this unusual looking bird on the Portencross Road last week.
With its mixture of black and white feathers it looks like a foreign stranger to these shores.
The orange bill is a giveaway though. Look closer and you can see that it is a blackbird – but a partially albino one.
Chloe Rossi, Information Officer at RSPB’s Lochwinnoch reserve, said: “Partial albino blackbirds are not too uncommon – although this is the first one I’ve ever seen.
“It would be interesting to see how this affects his mating efforts. I know male blackbirds attract females by the brightness – how orange – their beak is, so perhaps his plumage would not have negative breeding effects.
“However, it is more than likely going to make him a bit more conspicuous to predators so it may affect his behaviour.
“Perhaps he spends more time in foliage, hidden away which would in turn give him less of a chance to find a mate.”
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