Conservationists spot rare white puffin in Scotland

A rare white puffin was spotted on Handa Island Wildlife Reserve off the coast of Sutherland in Scotland. The unusual bird was first seen in mid-June by Scottish Wildlife Trust rangers.

In contrast to its more colorful neighbors living on the cliff, this young puffin has only a few black feathers and a largely orange bill. This lack of pigmentation is caused by a genetic condition called leucism.

There are only a small number of reports of leucism in seabird colonies around the UK, including one puffin which bred on Handa in 2018 and 2019 which had light brown feathers instead of black.

(All photos via CFP)

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