WHILE the black and white of Collingwood will scarcely be seen ahead of this week’s AFL grand final, one Magpie has spent a lifetime hiding its true colours.
A grey magpie has been spotted around pine forests on Mount Gambier’s eastern fringe, with the discoloured bird standing out from the tiding.
Albino in appearance, the rare bird had a single black dot on one of its wings with the rest of its feathers being almost completely white.
Natural Resources South East district ranger Ross Anderson said it was an uncommon sighting but not unheard of.
“We have had it in a range of species such as a multi-coloured raven or a few other discoloured magpies,” Mr Anderson said.
“It is rare and the typical reason it is rare is because those individual birds stand out from their mates and are more susceptible to being predated by another bird of prey.”
Mr Anderson believes the discolouration is most likely caused by a genetic mutation.
