An Albino Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax Capensis
Open accessAbstract
Albinism has been recorded in many vertebrate taxa (Halls 2004). It is a genetic anomaly in which an autosomal recessive gene causes an absence of the enzyme tyrosinase, resulting in a total lack of melanin pigment in the skin, scales, hairs, feathers and eyes (van Grouw 2006). The skin and eye colour of albinos is pink because the blood can be seen through the transparent, unpigmented tissues. In birds, it is the most frequently reported colour aberration, although it is the least frequent in occurrence. This is because it is commonly mistaken for the most frequently inheritable aberration in birds, leucism, which is a partial or total lack of melanin in the plumage (sometimes also in the skin)—but not in the eye—due to an inherited disorder of the deposition of these pigments (van Grouw 2006). There are at least 10 other types of inheritable colour aberrations in birds. Albinistic birds are almost never observed, not only because albinism is rare, but also because albinos have low survival rates (van Grouw
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Conspecifics did not show any aggressive behaviour towards the 2017 'brown' adult, as is often the case when conspecifics exhibit plumage differences.
“Surprisingly, conspecifics did not show any aggressive behaviour towards it, as is often the case when conspecifics exhibit plumage differences (Cook et al. 2012).”
From Colour Abberations in African Penguins Spheniscus Demersus (2018) · cites this paper as Cook et al. 2012
In the paper’s main text (page not provided), Cook et al. say their albino cormorant may have been harassed by conspecifics and note that harassment has been observed in albinos of other flocking bird species. This supports the possibility of aggression toward birds with unusual plumage, but not the broader claim that it often occurs whenever conspecifics differ in plumage. The absence of aggression toward the 2017 brown adult is the citing authors’ observation, not one reported by Cook et al. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSightings of birds with colour aberrations are rare, especially for albinos, because survival in the wild is relatively low, perhaps due to reduced abilities to hunt, higher risk of predation, or conspecific harassment and conflicts.
“Sightings of birds with these aberrations are rare, especially for albinos, because survival in the wild is relatively low, perhaps due to reduced abilities to hunt (Cook et al. 2012), higher risk of predation, or conspecific harassment and conflicts (Alaja & Mikkola 1997).”
From Colour Abberations in African Penguins Spheniscus Demersus (2018) · cites this paper as Cook et al. 2012
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Research works printed but not linked: 5
- BULLER, W.L. 1874. On the ornithology of New Zealand. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 7: 209.
- CRAWFORD, R.J.M. 2005. Cape Cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis. In: Hockey, P.A.R., Dean, W.R.J. & Ryan, P.G. (Eds.) Roberts birds of southern Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. pp. 579-580.
- GRÉMILLET, D., CHAUVIN, C., WILSON, R.P., LE MAHO, Y. & WANLESS, S. 2005. Unusual feather structure allows partial plumage wettability in diving great cormorants Phalacrocorax carbo. Journal of Avian Biology 36: 57-63.
- HALLS, K.M. 2004. Albino animals. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.
- JOHNSON, R.L., VENTER, A., BESTER, M.N. & OOSTHUIZEN, W.H. 2006. Seabird predation by white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, and Cape fur seal, Arctocephalus pusillus, at Dyer Island. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 36: 23-32.
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Colour Abberations in African Penguins Spheniscus Demersus
Traisnel, G., Pichegru, L., Visser, H., & Edwards, L. (2018) · Marine Ornithology · doi:10.5038/2074-1235.46.1.1243 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cook, T. R., Jewell, O., Chivell, W., & Bester, M.
- Affiliations
- None
- Dyer Island Conservation Trust (ZA)
- University of Pretoria (ZA)
- Venue
- Marine Ornithology
- Published
- 2012
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 72-73
- ISSN
- 1018-3337 (ISSN-L)
- 2074-1235
- OpenAlex
- W2153064270
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2023: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Marine ornithology (publishedVersion)
- UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria) (submittedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- Marine ornithology
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Keywords
- albinism, Cape cormorant, leucism, melanin pigmentation, autosomal recessive inheritance
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