Resumen

VEREA, Carlos. A case of partial leucism in the Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) from Venezuela. Huitzil [online]. 2020, vol.21, n.2, e609.  Epub 17-Oct-2022. ISSN 1870-7459.  https://doi.org/10.28947/hrmo.2020.21.2.491.

Reports of plumage aberrations in wild birds, as well as their distribution and frequency, are important because of their implications in bird conservation, since they are likely asso­ ciated with environmental factors (e.g. contamination), population genetics, population size (e.g. endogamy) or nutrition (e.g. resource scarcity). This article documents a case of plumage aberration in a Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) female individual sighted and photographed in a suburban area of northern Venezuela. The aberrant individual was mostly (> 70%) white, except for the crown, wings (primary feathers and its coverts), crisum, and tail. The white plumage showed a symmetrical distribution pattern. The eyes, tarsi and beak had normal pigmentation. Based on literature consulted and a dichotomous key to identify pigmentary abnormalities, the plumage aberration corresponds to partial leucism. This record constitutes the first case of leucism for the Blue-black Grassquit in Venezuela, and adds to other observations of plumage aberration in wild birds of the Neotropical area.

Palabras llave : albinism; leucism; melanin; plumage aberration; Thraupidae.

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