There are some odd looking birds and beasts roaming the woods and grasslands: a bald eagle with a white chest; cow elk with frosty white fur; and red-winged blackbirds with white backs. These are all forms of a genetic mutation known as leucism ( pronounced Luke-ism). All of the examples except the blackbird were seen in this area. Some people may confuse the white coloration with albinism, but animals with leucism still have dark eyes and skin. To learn more about the trait, check out my story at https://billingsgazette.com/lifestyles/recreation/frosty-colored-elk-white-chested-eagles-examples-of-genetic-abnormality/article_f2258dd1-508c-5e01-9c6e-7239a416227c.html.

(written by Brett French – Outdoors Editor for the Billings Gazette/Montana Untamed)