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From early September through October 2002, a nearly white Turkey Vulture has been seen several times in southern Marin County. The vulture appears to be an adult, if its light pink head and white bill can be trusted. The overall color is an extremely light camel-brown which covers the body, tail, back, and secondary flight feathers and coverts. The cast to the ventral seems slightly darker than the dorsal. The outer wings -- primaries and primary coverts -- appear pure white, both dorsal and ventral. This vulture has been seen with other vultures on at least four occasions by GGRO folks:

1. Seen 9/8/02 by Barbara Samuelson and Greg Gothard on the ridge southeast of Muir Woods flying with other TVs, generally heading toward Muir Beach.

2. Seen 9/29/02 by Steve Bauer and other GGRO hawkwatchers from 9:30 to 9:40 AM, flying along Wolfback Ridge above Sausalito with other TVs, generally heading west toward the Vortak.

3. Seen 10/12/02 by Bauer, Allen Fish, Tim Behr, and other GGRO hawkwatchers between 1100 and 1300, flying within Rodeo Valley from as far west as Rodeo Pond to as far east as the Morningsun Trail above Sausalito. It was flying with other TV s and generally stayed lower than the summit of Hawk Hill. GGRO Intern Simone Whitecloud was able to get a series of digital photos of the bird from below in Rodeo Valley. Click here to see the photo.

4. Seen 10/18/02 by Tim Behr, Kim Meyer, and other GGRO hawkwatchers at approximately 1215, flying east of Slacker Hill, and appearing to head farther east.

If other California birdspotters happen to note a whitish Turkey Vulture in their area, we would love to hear about it. Send details on time, place, and a careful description to Allen Fish, GGRO Director, at afish@ggnpa.org. Maybe we'll be able to follow the movements of this unusual bird. At the least, we'll continue to report its whereabouts here. As far as what to call this individual, the best quick call would be to say a leucistic (lew-sis -tik) Turkey Vulture. A pure albino would not have the brown tones this bird shows, and a partial albino would show a mix of normal-colored feathers with some pure whites. Also, Bill Clark shows a photo of a similarly lightened form of adult Bald Eagle, which he refers to as a dilute. See page 144 in the second edition of Hawks of North America by Clark and Wheeler (2000). - Allen Fish 10/18/02

The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory (GGRO) is three staff members and more than 250 community volunteers, all dedicated to studying the autumn hawk migration. The GGRO's guiding philosophy is that public involvement is a critical, yet often ignored component of long-term wildlife conservation. The GGRO's mission is to inspire the preservation of California raptor populations.

The GGRO was formed in the early 1980s to track the Golden Gate migration, an annual flight of then of thousands of hawks, eagles falcons, and vultures - birds collectively called "raptors."

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Website originally designed and created by Greg Gothard with lots of help from Lynn Bantley and Barbara Samuelson.

Contact the GGRO:

Mail:
Golden Gate Raptor Observatory
Building 201, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123

Phone:
(415) 331-0730

E-mail address:
ggro@parksconservancy.org

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