Strange Ruffed Grouse

[reb]

A buddy shot this very different Ruffie this fall so thought I would post a couple of pictures after he got it back from the taxidermist .
Has anyone else seen one like this ?

 

[Paul_T]

Except for the head tuft it looks more like a fall colored ptarmigan to me. Odd

 

[Jahnj0584]

funny enough I just saw one of these through the alders yesterday, all I saw was a big white square walking around!
Great mount

 

[trevj]

Pretty cool looking bird.

Wonder if it's a random albinism, or a part cross with Ptarmigan.

 

[bcsteve]

Except for the head tuft it looks more like a fall colored ptarmigan to me. Odd

The tail is definitely ruffed grouse.

 

[the spank]

Too bad he didn't go to a top quality bird taxidermist to do a unique bird like that.

 

[FLHTCUI]

I'm impressed with the turn around time from the Taxidermy guy.....

 

[reb]

The taxidermist is a local guy who just does birds.

 

[Biologist]

Leucism: Wikipedia link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucism

A common term used (although not always genetically precise), is "piebald" or "piebaldism".

Follow the various out-links in the Wikipedia page for a wide range of info.

I think the mount is well done, showing the highlights of the piebald feather colouration.

Locally here, piebald crows are relatively common, showing various patches of white feathers (lack of pigment).

 

[mbogo3]

The red colored versions are pretty too.

 

[Butcherbill]

Cool looking piebald grouse, can’t say I’ve ever seen one like this before.

 

[hoytcanon]

I have not seen a ruffled grouse like that but I have seen a spruce grouse like that... I will try to find the picture.

 

[canadian hunter312]

Piebald (white) and melanistic (black) colour variations can be seen in many species of critters such as deer, moose, bear, snakes, birds, etc. No cross breeding here with this grouse, just a rare example of how nature isn’t perfect.

Nice mount, looks good.