New record of aberrant plumage in Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina Linnaeus, 1766, aves: Emberizidae)

A case of partial leucism in the Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina) from Venezuela

“…That plumage aberration called "arlequin coloration" was also found in a female individual. It was described as a total su ppression of melanin in the bird's head, and the plumage coloration turned very clear, almost yellow across the head and many dorsal clear spots (Gaiotti et al 2011). Although Corrêa et al (2013) later considered such an aberration as a case of leucism, the yellow pigmentation mentioned in the description is odd.…”

“…The first record of an aberrant coloration in a wild-living Blueblack Grassquit was reported by Gaiotti et al (2011) in Brazil. That plumage aberration called "arlequin coloration" was also found in a female individual.…”

“…In birds with dark or black plumage, such as the Blue-black Grassquit, both leucism and other similar anomalies are more conspicuous because of the high contrast that they generate (Escola et al 2014). Although variations in this plumage coloration pattern are not uncommon (Gaiotti et al 2011), they have few observations in Neotropical wild bird species (Piacentini 2001). Birds with black plumage and leucism records in the Neotropics include about 14 species: the Neotropic Cormorant ( (Verea et al 2016).…”

“…In this dichromatic species, the male has a blackish blue iridescent plumage; while the female is mostly brown (Meyer de Schauensee y Phelps 1978). This species already has a plumage aberration report called "arlequin coloration" from Brazil (Gaiotti et al 2011). Since reports of plumage aberration in wild birds, as well as their distribution and frequency, have important conservation implications because they may be associated with environmental factors (e.g.…”