Since I saw Ghosty, the beautiful leucistic pīwakawaka (also known as the white fantail) I have been getting so many messages from people who are blown away by how cute she is. I’m loving the response to my photos of her, and so happy to brighten people’s day by sharing this stunning bird with everyone.
She’s so special because she has a genetic mutation known as leucism, her feathers don’t carry pigment and she appears all white. Seeing her in flight is quite a spectacle, with her elegant fanned tail and super quick flying manoeuvres she appears so angelic. I tried to get some photographs of her in flight, which of course was a challenge, fantails are notoriously tricky, the combination of fast and small is almost impossible. I managed to get a few of her flying, and though they aren’t the most detailed they show how elegant she is in flight. Here are some more photos of her, enjoy!
