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(NOT) Melanistic Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo

To: "Mike Jarman" <>
Subject: (NOT) Melanistic Yellow-tailed Black-cockatoo
From: "Chris Sanderson" <>
Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2006 16:24:51 +1000
Hi Mike,

I believe the correct term for too much yellow pigment is hyperxanthic
(based on a non-exhaustive google search on the topic of feather pigment
anomolies).  Your bird is possibly a combination of leucistic (lacking dark
pigments) and hyperxanthic (overabundance of yellow) creating the strange
combination in your bird.

This website has seemingly good descriptions (though I'm no aviculturalist)
and links to pictures at the bottom to illustrate examples.
http://www.pkblogs.com/milkriver/2005/03/env-albinism.html

Regards,
Chris

On 11/23/06, Mike Jarman <> wrote:


Philip Veerman pointed out to me that the term melanistic is not correct
for this bird as melanistic means an excess of black pigment.  Maybe the
term is leucistic, I dont really know.   But whatever the terminology is, it
sounds like a spectacular bird.


Greg,
I have seen a pair of osprey hanging around Lake Conjola (NSW south coast)
for the last few months.  What time of year do they normally breed?   Lake
Conjola has many large trees around the shores and in the tributaries that
could possibly host a breeding pair.


cheers

mike



---- Greg <> wrote:
> Hi Mike,
>
> A few years ago there was an adult female Glossy Black-Cockatoo feeding
> young in a large hollow in a Scribbly Gum south of Grafton, North Coast
NSW.
> She was completely yellow apart from some greyinh edging to the feathers
and
> an orange tail panel.  Quite a sight!
>
>
> Regards
>
> Greg Clancy



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