Unusual Bird: Leucistic Female Northern Cardinal
This Leucistic Female Northern Cardinal continues to visit my feeder watch area this season. She is becoming
more dominant and not allowing the other cardinals to chase her off at the birdbath and feeders.
Categories: Leucistic birds
Tags: Northern Cardinal
Comments
50 comments on “Unusual Bird: Leucistic Female Northern Cardinal”
Hi Gary, This is Dick And Norma from Essex Fells NJ. We have a White Headed one like yours only a little more white on her head. We call her MRS WHITEHEAD. We keep looking to see if there are more than one, but not yet. Shes been there several years now. You are right. She is very dominant and will not let other birds feed when she is there, EXCEPT MALE CARDINALS. Does anyone know if their offspring can be Leucistic?
Drop us a line. D &N
Wow, I think I have her cousin here in West Milford New Jersey. I’ve been looking at this for a week trying to properly identify it, and it does seem to be a red beaked female cardinal with just one distinct package of red on her wings. She’s quite a character and a fascinating sight!
Bamber lake NJ and i saw Ms Whitehead for the very first time today
January 16, 2020 Have never seen this bird before. He has the body color of a male cardinal , but his head is white with black splotches. His eyes are black with black feather like areas over the eyes. Also has a larger beak. Our Wild Bird store here in Madison, Wi. seems to think it is a leucistic cardinal. Interesting to observe.
January 30, 2020
I have a white- headed cardinal here in far western Kentucky too. It is feeding with all the other cardinals right now. It doesn’t seem too territorial at this time. I had never seen one until today. It is so unusual.
I have a white face female in Gastonia North Carolina which is right outside Charlotte. I have never seen one either. I was shocked when I saw her I didn’t know there were white face cardinals. She is beautiful and she feeds with all my other birds. I hope she stays around I love watching her.
We live in Michigan. This is the first time we have ever seen one here. Very exciting trying to figure out what it was.
I have a female Cardinal in my backyard for 2years now with the white on her checks and neck. I have 10 to 12 Cardinals at my feeder iall winter and she gets along with everyone of course. Richmond VA
We have had a male cardinal visiting our yard this week with a white mask. We have been calling him Zorro but we didn’t know why he was so distinctive until now.
The secret of success is hard work
I saw a white headed female cardinal for the first to!e today. She is really beautiful. I am from Kalamazoo michigan.
We have one at our feeder in north central Louisiana. I have seen her three times, along with our regular cardinals. I didn’t know what she was when I first saw her. Could not find her in my bird books. She seems to get along with the others, but is always by herself. Beautiful bird.
I to live in Michigan and have a white headed cardinal that has been around for several years she’s so pretty. The other interesting bird that I have seen many times over the years is a completely white and tan chickadee. She is striking! Looks like an angel flying through the air all white.
I have something that looks exactly like a cardinal with a totally white head black mask orange bill full crested head mostly white all over but with some bold black spots on it’s back like a paint horse would have. I live in Ohio. ???? Any clues
I saw a female white-headed cardinal at my feeder this morning. Incredible sight — I watch my feeders a lot and have never seen one. The head was mostly white, but there was a bit of red on the back. I live in eastern Iowa.
Blanche, my white headed cardinal, has been a daily visitor since last December 2019. She has a boy friend, and I certainly hope there are some babies soon! Location, midcountry Greenwich CT
We spotted a female leucistic cardinal on Sunday , 7/26 at Falls of Rough, Kywhile out on our deck. I had never seen a bird like this. We had seen the male, extremely bright red then saw her on a branch near him. She eventually perched low on a tree near the door and we got a good long look at her. She was white with coral pink on her tail and wings, no brown at all. After she flew away, I was able to go in and look her up to identify her. I had never heard of an albino or leucistic bird. She was a beautiful site.
I saw a lemon colored leucistic cardinal on an overpass bridge in Greenville SC. Strange location but there was no doubt what it was. I just wish I wasn’t driving and could have caught a pic. Beautiful,,
I am seeing this rare bird at my feeder th out it might be woodpecker not so.thanks for the ed u ma cation.
There’s one at our feeder in NW Arkansas this morning. The first I’ve ever seen.
I saw one Jan 1, 2022 outside of Watts OK in NE OK.
Saw my first one at the feeder today. Outside Wapello Ia.
Was it a female? Spotted one here in Des Moines in December…
Have had once here in Northern Illinois since about mid December and keeps coming for more feed!
A “patchy” leucistic female northern cardinal just spotted at my feeder in southeastern NY. Her beak is slightly longer than the other females of this species. Have not yet spotted her beau.
Just seen one of these birds in my yard today in west central Indiana on March 18,2022.
This week saw the white headed cardinal in Rogersville.Mo. It’s out first year here so I don’t know how long it’s been coming.
Hi from Kirkland, Il., we have one as well. Love seeing it.
We just started seeing a female with white cheeks here in Hopkinton MA this past weekend. We have only seen pidgeons with this before now.
Here in Prairie Village, KS (Kansas City Metro) I’ve had a female white head showing up the last two years. My 6 year old has dubbed her “Fluffy”
12-20-2022
Have one at my feeder in Greenville, SC. Lived here since 1950s never saw one before.
Have been seeing one in my feeder for a week here in Quinlan , Texas.
We have on here in Mifflin Ohio!
Beautiful Bird. I’ve been trying to get a picture but no luck yet
2/2/2023: I’ve just discovered a female like this, but with larger white spots down her back. It’s very chilly and rainy here in Alcolu, South Carolina and the Cardinals were out in force most of the day. Could hardly get anything done for bird watching! I’ll keep an eye out for this one. She’s a beauty.
I saw one on Feb 9 2023. I was to slow getting my camera. I hope I see it today.
Have one white head coming to feeder for past 2 years in Cincy OH
Just spotted a leucistic female with male in my backyard in Cortlandt Manor, NY couldn’t get a photo with my phone but now leaving camera at the ready in case she returns. Very striking with large white patch on the back side of her head.
I provide ground level water for birds in my yard. I have two leucistic cardinals now, both males. One with white cheeks and the other’s whole head is white.
We are enjoying the visits of a very distinctive looking female cardinal to our deck and feeder. She looks like a very typical cardinal until she turns her back to us. I’ve named her “fancy lady” because she looks like she put on a white shawl before leaving home! We have never seen one like this. We hope she keeps coming.
We have had a leucisctic female at our feeder here in our Oneonta, NY, backyard for several years. She raised a family last year. None of the babies seem to have inherited this trait. She’s quite striking!
A gorgeous white-headed cardinal frequents my feeders in Wakefield RI – first time I’ve seen one in 23 years living here. Red crest, shoulders and tail feathers. Mostly brown wings and tail feathers, mostly white head and body.
How do I know whether it’s male or female? Do leucistic cardinals mate with cardinals of any color? I hope so, since I’ve seen only one individual.
We have had a female leaucistic cardinal since early spring in our yard in St. Louis. She has a mate and they are raising their family in a nest in a large viburnum right near our back door.
I’m seeing these cardinals for the first time this year in my western South Carolina yard. One is mostly rumpled white. Others have varying shades of gray to brown across the breasts.
I have a one of these visiting my feeder in Louisville, KY. She shows up with a male most of the time. Her head is completely white and the rest of her is gray to brown.
I have one that just started visiting my feeder in Northern Virginia. She has a white head and gray to brown feathers. I noticed the other birds allow her to eat alone but there are other cardinals that accompany her. She’s beautiful!
I have a red bird with a white head in west Tennessee I have pictures of it. I’ve never seen one in my life time. I have a bird feeder out and it has been coming to it for over a month now
I have one now in my yard too!!!! First sighting today. She took my breath away. I’ve never ever seen one like her. Dallas, Texas!!!!
I live in Michigan. We’ve been feeding our backyard birds for over 30 years and this is the first time we have ever seen a white faced female cardinal! How exciting! I hope to get some good pictures to post. What a treat to have her show up in our backyard!
I live in NW New Jersey and this is the 3rd year a female cardinal with white head feathers has come to our winter feeders. There is only one spot where she feeds and I have it all set up for her. She seems to keep a distance from the others, not letting others where she feeds when she’s there. In the summer she likes to be on top of a large bird house in my garden (more a decoration than habitat) and chases anyone who tries to land on it.
First time seeing one – we had one visit our bird feeder today, here in central IL.