Rare white-breasted robin spotted in garden

A rare white breasted robin has been spotted in a garden in the region.

Greg McCarthy from near Ballivor in Meath made the discovery last week and admits being “fascinated” by the unusual creature that has been frolcoking in his yard ever since.

Birdwatch Ireland told Greg (67) that instead of the normal robin red-breast with its namesake orange-red breast this little bird’s white appearance was caused by Leucism, a genetic mutation or damaged colour pigment cells in the feathers that occurs in many different species of animals and differs from albinism.

The Ballivor man says “he hasn’t been able to take his eyes” off the special robin that has made a home in his garden. He added:

“He is out here in my yard I am looking at him as we speak. My wife saw him about a week or so ago and she said there is a strange bird in the garden but only three days ago did I realise what it was.

“I started looking it up, I got on to BirdWatch Ireland and they told me it is a robin but it has a condition called Leucism and it means that he can’t make the darker pigments which leaves him a very light grey and white.

“They said he is very unique and it is an amazing bird.

“He has been around every day for the past three days, I feed the birds and he is down there now at the bottom of the bush and he is picking away at seeds that fall from the bird feeder.

“I think his problem will be getting a mate because the other robins don’t recognise him as a robin they say.

“This fella is amazing. A lot of people attach spiritual things to robins, they say that robins bring messages from the departed and there is a saying, ‘angels are near when robins appear’ well this fella surely looks like an angel.

“For people who think that way, it would bring tears to their eyes to see it.”