Rare white gray heron spotted on Jeju

A young gray heron with leucism, a genetic pigment mutation, was seen along Jeju’s Haengwon-ri shore.

News Team
Published
A gray heron with white feathers, apparently the result of a pigment loss known as leucism, stands on the shore at Haengwon-ri in Gujwa-eup, Jeju, on Sept. 3.

A gray heron with white plumage has been spotted on Jeju, in what appears to be a case of leucism.

Oh Seung-mok, a director at the documentary outfit Docu Jeju, saw the bird on the shore at Haengwon-ri in Gujwa-eup, Jeju, at about 5 p.m. Thursday.

Leucism is a genetic mutation that leaves an animal short of pigment cells in its feathers and skin, so parts of the body turn white. It differs from albinism, which affects the eyes as well.

Related Article

"This looks like a young heron hatched this year, and set against other juveniles from the same year the difference in color is obvious," Oh said. "It is rare to see a heron with leucism."

Gray herons are large waterside birds, gray across the back and body with a white head and a black stripe running from the eye to the back of the head like a ribbon.


BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

jeju environment birds leucism wildlife korea

Read more

See more articles