MISSOURI — A rare, all-white hawk was rescued this week in Fredericktown, Missouri, after suffering from an injury.
A family in Fredericktown told Madison County Conservation about the injured raptor after it was spotted outside their home.
According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, the all-white and red-tailed hawk has a condition known as leucism or piebald, which occurs when their is a loss of pigmentation in the animal resulting in the white feathers.
MDOC also said that unlike albinism, which is caused by a reduction in melanin, some birds can have full or partial leucism, which is either genetic, a sign of nutrient deficiency, or a sign of aging.
The hawk was taken to the University of Missouri to a rehabilitation facility where it is expected to make a full recovery and be released back into the location it was found.