Albino shearwater chick born in Cartagena: the first documented case on Spain's coast
It's the first documented case of pure albinism in a nest-raised shearwater chick on the Spanish coast. It has been ringed so it can be tracked if it's seen again.
A rarity in white. During the 2026 seabird monitoring and ringing campaign, staff from Spain’s Murcia region found a completely albino Scopoli’s shearwater chick on Isla de las Palomas (Cartagena): white feathers, pink skin and red eyes.
True albinism
Staff confirmed it’s true albinism: a total absence of melanin, the pigment that colours feathers, skin and eyes. According to the regional government, it’s the first documented case of pure oculocutaneous albinism in a nest-raised shearwater chick on the Spanish coast.
It’s more than a curiosity: albinism can affect a bird’s eyesight and make its plumage less resistant to wind, water and salt, which matters for an animal that spends almost its entire life at sea.
A small, closely watched colony
- Isla de las Palomas is a protected area and holds the species’ only colony in the Murcia region.
- It has been monitored since 2017. Over the last two seasons 20 chicks were ringed: 12 in 2025 and 8 in 2026.
- The albino chick has an official metal ring, and its data will go into the international EURING network so it can be identified if seen again.
Monitoring is carried out by the regional threatened-wildlife census programme’s waterbird and seabird team, co-funded by the EU’s FEDER funds.
A slow breeder
According to SEO/BirdLife, the species lays one egg per season, incubates it for about 55 days and doesn’t start breeding until age 4–6. So every chick counts, and threats at sea such as fishing nets weigh heavily on its populations.
Curious about colour in nature? Read why snow isn’t really white.
Sources and references
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