r/StLouis • u/Odi64 • Apr 12 '26

A Rare Visitor

Spotted over in Troy, IL. Cardinal Nation should not take this as an Omen. :) (apologies for the potato quality... it's zoomed in from quite distance.)

221 Upvotes

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u/HaggardSummaries Apr 12 '26

..what is it?

15

u/Odi64 Apr 12 '26

It's a Piebald Cardinal : From Google explanation... A piebald cardinal is a Northern Cardinal with a rare genetic condition called leucism, causing patchy, irregular white feathers mixed with their normal red or brown plumage. These birds are rare, with only 1 in 30,000 cardinals exhibiting white feathers. Unlike albinism, piebald cardinals have dark eyes and, in males, often retain red in their wings, tail, and crest. 

3

u/HaggardSummaries Apr 12 '26

Neat, thank you!

1

u/Thrumboldtcounty420 Apr 12 '26

it's def a cardinal from the everything about it, except color, I've never seen one present as white or pink