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Pure white crow spotted in Shimane

38 Comments
By Philip Kendall

Now here’s something you don’t see every day.

A pure white crow was spotted in the Chugoku region of Japan. With dazzling white feathers and clear blue eyes, this feathered fellow has even managed to find his way into the local media.

According to the Japan Society for the Protection of Birds, the crow belongs to the hashibuto or “jungle” crow species, but it is incredibly rare to see one with quite such white feathers. It was first spotted near woodland near the town of Oda, Shimane Prefecture, and has since attracted both locals and those from surrounding towns hoping to catch a glimpse of it sitting among its black brethren.

Although crows are featured in several Japanese folk tales, they are usually associated with bad luck in modern times, most likely due to the number of problems they’ve been known to cause.

It is estimated that there are now around 150,000 crows living in Tokyo alone, prompting the city to come up with measures to keep their numbers under control. As well as ripping into garbage bags left out for collection and even stealing food right from people’s hands, the birds are especially aggressive during April and May when they are known to swoop down and attack those who make eye contact with them while they guard their nests.

Perhaps this white fellow is hoping to help its brothers mend their wicked ways? Or perhaps it’s just a little different and baffled by the attention its receiving. Either way, it’s a genuinely beautiful bird and just goes to show that nature really does come in all shapes and sizes.

Source: Gizmodo Japan

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38 Comments
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Albino?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

albino and white are different things.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Is that anything like seeing the White Buffalo?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I wonder if the other crows recognize the color difference, and the white one too?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Good to see there is no prejudice in the animal world. Maybe us humans can learn from them one day.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

I love crows - beautiful, intelligent birds. This one's gorgeous!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Does it behave differently?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

saw white crows in Australia...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I haven't seen a white crow in Australia. Some might be greyish, but are you thinking of Magpies, which are black and dark grey and can be mostly white sometimes? I actually like Aussie crows (magpies can be pretty vicious with swooping), but the crows in my area are fairly playful and always seem to be stuffing around. I leave food for them and that makes sure they keep the magpies out of the way when I'm out walking in my area. Never throw food at a crow because they hate it- being scavengers, but leave it and step back out of the way and you'll get a bit of loyalty out of them.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

sorry meant magpies are black and white and are in the crow family but they don't mix (they don't seem to bother each other territorially either).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

When I lived in Bombay, I visited the north and around the nuclear power plant there, all the sparrows living there were white. When I asked the people there, they confirmed that...

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The end-of-the-worlders will take this as an omen. Remember, December 21 is near :-)

-2 ( +4 / -5 )

The end-of-the-worlders will take this as an omen. Remember, December 21 is near :-)

You just labeled your self as one.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

There has been an unusual increase of albino animals this year. Not just crows. Fukushima related..??? Albino mutation ratios of swallows jumped up to 15% in Ukraine after their accident. Eat Fukushima food! Support by consumption campaigns......Not me!

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

We have one from the Kansai area around here (Yokohama)... he most clearly and definitely says "Aho"... !

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Maria: "I love crows - beautiful, intelligent birds. This one's gorgeous!"

I'm with you 100%. For all the bad rap they get they are beautiful things. Was reading a book in the park near my apartment just the other day, drinking a beer, and one flew down and practically settled itself beside me, giving me the side eye, blinking, crooning, and checking out the book and the beer (no doubt he was looking for food). It was great to get a good look at the bird so close, and eventually he flew off. Would be nice to see this white one, but I hope people will give the bird some space.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The Brits did nuclear tests in Australia back in the 50s... So it's not totally impossible that it's radiation related. Youtube has interesting documentaries about this.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Hey I used to work in Oda, never thought it would make the news for any reason, but here we are.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Ryogoku crows also sometimes fixate on crying out "Aho", to the amusement of everyone on the platform.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

So silly... how could it be spotted, if its pure white?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Crow with White feather and Blue eye, it must be Caucasian Crow.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I love crows. I rescued one one day with a damaged wing. It was so grateful not to be eaten as fresh sashimi by a big huge cat.

I know a girl that has one as a pet. She saved a baby pushed out of a nest. Brilliant and talkative she said.

I disagree about them taking food out of hands of humans. They most certainly do not. I surf and it is the Tonbi that take food out of your hands, and if they make a mistake and not get it all, the crows come in to clean it up.

Wonderful animals.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"Wonderful animals"

Not when they're squawking outside your apaato at 5am on Saturday morning. Or when they're tearing your garbage bag apart on your veranda.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Lots of crows round where I live. The only time they make much noise is just before dusk, when they all gather together before flying off to their roosts in the nearby woods.

There's evidence that crows cannot see (or maybe see through) yellow; you can stop crows raiding your rubbish by using yellow rubbish bags, or covering your bags with yellow netting. Or not leaving rubbish out on the veranda.

I agree with Maria, Smitty and JapanGal - crows are beautiful birds.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I've taken to bleaching the crows around my area, especially the ones that shout "Aho" and think its funny.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Winter is coming...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Jay Que Nov. 25, 2012 - 09:00PM JST: So silly... how could it be spotted, if its pure white?

Dude spotted as in being seen!!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"you can stop crows raiding your rubbish by... not leaving your rubbish on the veranda"

Well, my burnable ( stink ) rubbish is either on the veranda or inside my apaato from Friday am til Tuesday am because they don't pick it up between Friday am and Tuesday am around here, lol.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

my burnable ( stink ) rubbish is either on the veranda or inside my apaato from Friday am til Tuesday am

Well, squawking crows and rubbish scattered all over the veranda on a Saturday morn or stinky rubbish indoors, the choice is yours, Serrano. :-)

You can get rubbish bins with lockable lids to keep the crows out / the stink in, also deodorants for nama-gomi.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Crow are great mimics with a wicked sense of humor found practically everywhere around the world and are exceptionally curious, observant, sociable, cooperative, resourceful, intelligent, misunderstood, and under-appreciated however these destructive, nasty, scary birds are not my favorite birds but a despicable predator.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"You can get rubbish bins with lockable lids"

Too mendokusai, Cleo!

"also deodorants for nama-gomi"

Are you serious? Does it work on male armpits too?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"crows are... sociable"

They're sociable all right!

Crow #1: Squawk!

Crow #2: Squawk!

Crow #3: Squawk! Squawk!

Crow #1: Squawk! Squawk!

Crow #4: Squawk! Squawk!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Translation:

Crow #1: Hey, there be some umai pickings on Serrano's veranda!

Crow #2: Ya don't say!

Crow #3: Where's Serrano's place?

Crow #1: You know that run-down shack down the street?

Crow #4: Somebody lives there? Ha ha, lol.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

its charisma crow!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"It only takes one white crow to prove that not all crows are black." - William James

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Holy crow.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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