212 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

WYPKEMA, R. C. P., AND C. D. ANKNEY. 1979. Nutrient Present addressof first author: Institute of Re- reserve dynamics of Lesser Snow Geese staging at sourceEcology, University of British Columbia,2204 Main James Bay Ontario. Can. J. Zool. 57:213-219. Mall, Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1 W5. Received 8 October 1983. Final acceptance 13 January Departementde biologie,Faculte dessciences et de genie, 1984. UniversiteLaval, Ste-Foy, Quebec, Canada, GlK 7P4.

The Condor86:212 Although the Sylviinae is not a group in which frequent 0 The Cooper Ornithological Society 1984 incidences of albinism have been reported (Sage 1963, Gross 1965),some island populations ofAcrocephalus (e.g., PLUMAGE COLOR CHANGES IN A A. caj%, A. vaughanz)are actually noted for this (Nicoll 1904; Ogilvie-Grant 1913a, b; C. J. 0. Harrison, pers. comm.). A recent examination of specimensof A. atypha ( FAMILIARS) in the American Museum of Natural History by P. L. Bruner (pers. comm.) revealed the presenceof severalleu- cistic or albinistic individuals. SHEILA CONANT The occurrenceof partial albinism in wild island pop- ulations where inbreeding is naturally high lends credence to Sage’s (1962) suggestionthat this phenomenon is he- On 15 August 1981 at 06:30, while censusingbirds on the reditary. However, the loss and subsequentrecovery of east slope of Miller Valley on Nihoa Island, Hawaiian plumage color by the Nihoa Millerbird reported here in- Islands, I saw a predominantly white Nihoa Millerbird dicates that some environmental factor, e.g., nutrition or (Acrocephalusfamiliaris) at a distance of about 150 m. a pathological condition, could be a cause of change in Upon relocatingthe at close (about 4 m) range a few plumage color. The Nihoa Millerbird is not noted for fre- minutes later, I saw that it had been banded with a plastic quent occurrenceof albinistic or leucisticindividuals, and color band and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicealuminum this was the only suchindividual I saw during about seven band. A check of the band combination in my records months of intensive observation, including banding, of showedthat I had banded the bird on 10 June 1980 within this small population. The case lends support to the idea 50 m of where I saw it the next year. My records also that plumagecolor can be changedby environmental rath- showed that the bird was an adult (based on complete er than genetic causes.Other evidence supportingthe hy- skull ossification), of normal color (dull brown above, pothesisthat the environment or stresscan causechange in plumage color has been reviewed by Sage(1962). whitish below), and of unknown sex. Its weight and wing length were within the usual range of adult measurements LITERATURE CITED (Conant, unpubl. data). That the bird was singingwhen I rediscoveredit in August 1981 indicatesthat it was a male, FRAZIER, F. P. 1952. Depigmentation of a robin. Bird- based on my observations of banded at 33 active Banding 23: 114. nests.(None of the birds behaviorally identified as females GROSS, A. 0. 1965. The incidence of albinism in North ever sang.)The present individual’s plumage was entirely American birds. Bird-Banding 36:67-7 1. white except for several brown feathers or small patches HARRISON.C. J. 0. 1963. Non-melanic. carotenisticand of feathers on the back. Its iris was dark, probably the allied’variant plumagesin birds. Bull. Br. Omithol. dark brown characteristicof this species.I again saw this Club 83:90-96. individual, with an unbanded female, in approximately KOCH,E. G. 1877. Case of a robin turning partly albino. the same spot on 20 April 1983 for about one minute. On Forest and Stream 10:483. this occasionthe bird’s plumagewas again predominantly NICOLL,J. J. 1904. Ornithological journal of a voyage brown, but patchesof white remained on its flanks, back, round the world in the Valhalla. Ibis (Ser. 8) 4:55- and outer primaries. The iris was dark, and the legs and 57. mandibles were grayishto dark brown. According to Har- OGILVIE-GRANT,W. R. 1913a. On a small collection of rison (1963) this bird would be considered “leucistic,” a birds from Henderson Island. South Pacific. Ibis (Ser. condition in which melanin pigments are produced, ap- 10) 1:344-347. pearing in the iris and soft parts, but not in the feathers. OGILVIE-GRANT, W. R. 1913b. On the birds of Hender- At least three cases of loss of plumage color in wild son Island. South Pacific. with descrintion of new (non-domesticated)birds have been documented. Two of speciesof Acrocephalus,Vini and Porzana. Bull Br. these casesinvolve American Robins (Turdus migrato- Omithol. Club. 31:58-59. rius), one a banded bird that showed patchesof white two ROOT,0. M. 1944. Albinism among North American years after it had been seenwith normal plumage (Frazier birds. Cassinia 4712-21. 1952). The secondrobin was a normally-colored captive SAGE,B. L. 1962. Albinism and melanism in birds. Br. bird that acquiredsome white plumage(Koch 1877). Root Birds 55:201-225. (1944) reported recapturing a Song Sparrow (Melospiza SAGE,B. L. 1963. The incidence of albinism and mel- melodia)with extensivepatches of white only months after anism in British birds. Br. Birds 56:409-416. it was banded and in normal plumage. I have found no publishedreports ofloss and subsequentrecovery ofplum- Departmentof GeneralScience, University of Hawaii, 2450 age color in a wild bird, such as I observed in a Nihoa CampusRoad, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822. Received 7 Feb- Millerbird. ruary 1983. Final acceptance4 November 1983.