Aberrant White Eye Coloration in Two Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Picidae: Melanerpes carolinus) from Florida

Eamon C. Corbett^1,*, Nancy Kase², Wendy C. Milstein³, and Thomas Michel Ambiel⁴

¹Louisiana State University Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science. ²The Villages, FL 32163. ³The Villages, FL 32162. ⁴Universidade Federal do Pampa, Caçapava do Sul, RS, 96570-000, Brazil. *Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 23, Issue 3 (2024): N24–N28

First published early online: 3 August 2024

Abstract
Color anomalies can provide insight into the mechanisms of bird pigmentation. However, records of anomalous eye color in bird species are sparse in the literature. Here, we report 2 observations of Melanerpes carolinus (Red-bellied Woodpecker) in Florida with bright white irises. We examine possible explanations for this phenotype and conclude that a genetic mutation affecting pteridine pigmentation is a possible cause. We encourage researchers to document birds with aberrant eye coloration, which may lead to a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying eye color.

Download Full-text pdf (Accessible only to subscribers. To subscribe click here.)