Stuart man spots rare blue jay in his backyard. Here's what it is.

Article Posted on August 25, 2020

STUART — Joe Tobiasz isn't an avid bird watcher, but he knew the one that landed in the mulberry tree in his backyard on Aug. 14 was a once-in-a-lifetime spotting. 

It looked like a big dove at first, Tobiasz said, but closer examination proved him wrong.

The bird was almost completely white, but its belly and wings had some darker feathers. Its beak had a purple tint, and its eyes were black.

Tobiasz was stumped.

So, he snapped some pictures and a video and sought help from experts. 

Turns out Tobiasz had seen a rare, Leucistic blue jay — a bird that has an abnormal plumage condition caused by a genetic mutation. It lost its coloring and turned white in some areas of its body.

It was a true National Geographic moment, he said. 


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