Adorable Rare White Tauhou Caught On Camera By Eagle-Eyed Photographer

One might assume that pandemic lockdowns would put a damper on the adventures of wildlife photographers, but Holly Neill proved that you can spot an incredible sight without travelling far from home. Of course, it doesn't hurt that she lives in New Zealand, which is well-known for its unique and wonderful wildlife.

Leucism, or leukism, is an abnormal plumage condition caused by a genetic mutation. It prevents pigment on a bird's feathers. In 2017, a photographer in Whangarei spotted a rare white piwakawaka(fantail) with leucism. A usual waxeye, or silvereye, is dark grey and green with a distinct white ring around its eye. The small and friendly, not threatened bird species self-introduced itself to New Zealand forests in the 1800s, and now has a wide distribution throughout the country.