From Raven Ridge Wildlife Center

We have been receiving quite a few calls, messages, and inquiries about updates on Frosty, the albino cardinal, whom we admitted back in July. We received a call from Brenda about a white bird she found under a car, which appeared to be injured and brought to our center, but it wasn’t until we opened the box that we realized it was, in fact, an albino Cardinal. The chances of seeing an albino cardinal are extremely low. Albino cardinals are considered one of the rarest bird sightings, with estimates suggesting that the odds of encountering any cardinal displaying white feathers are about 1 in 30,000. True albino cardinals, which lack all pigmentation, are even rarer. Albino cardinals face significant survival challenges due to their conspicuous coloration, which makes them more vulnerable to predators.

Additionally, their lack of melanin can lead to poor vision. The rarity of albino cardinals is attributed to a genetic mutation that causes a lack of melanin, resulting in their distinctive white plumage and reddish- pink eyes. This cardinal is fortunate to have been rescued, as it has no camouflage and poor eyesight, which makes it nearly impossible to evade predators like cats and hawks. Unfortunately, this cardinal will need to be kept in captivity, as its chances of survival in the wild would be slim.

Not only is it rare to see one albino cardinal, but we also admitted a second albino cardinal; we couldn’t believe that now we had two! The second Cardinal we admitted was already compromised due to a severe ear infection. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the Cardinal did not survive, as these fragile albinos typically have a short lifespan. However, our team was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with both Cardinals. Frosty is doing well and has developed quite the personality. He is starting to molt and is showing more color in different areas. This experience has been a valuable learning opportunity for our team, and we are grateful for the chance to work with this special Cardinal.

What a season here in southeast PA for albino birds! Our buddies at Raven Ridge are about an hour from us. The albino Robin we got this spring is doing well, I hear. We’re also keeping our due to vision problems. Good luck, Frosty!