Extremely Rare Bird Spotted In Western New York, Have You Ever Seen One?

Rare bird spotted in Western New York! Wait until you see the video posted below. This bird doesn't look real. You might even think it is something the folks at Disney created.

Even though there are approximately 125 million cardinals flying around North America, we don't have encounters with them every day. It is far less common to spot a leucistic Northern Cardinal. They say 1 out of every 2,000 cardinals is leucistic and one was recently spotted near Buffalo.

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Leucism is a genetic condition causing a partial loss of pigmentation in animals. That means an animal with leucism would have white, pale, or patchy skin, fur, or feathers. These animals are not albino, and you can tell the difference because their eye color remain their normal color and albino animals have pink or red eyes.

Read more: Rare albino porcupine spotted in Upstate New York

This is one of a few gorgeous color mutations Northern Cardinals can have—making its body mostly white with the exception of its red wings, tail feathers, and crest. Have you ever seen a bird like this? - buffaloaudubon on Instagram 

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Urban legend suggests a cardinal sighting is a sign from the other side. Perhaps a relative or loved one that has passed appears in the form of a cardinal to let you know that are near. It can also be taken as a sign of new beginnings, especially when seen in winter.