First record of brown plumage aberration in Indian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) from India

Abstract

Abstract Brown aberration in black plumage is defined by the progressive reduction of eumelanin in birds. The present report describes an observation of plumage with brown aberration in Indian Pied Starling (Gracupica contra) from the agricultural landscape of Shokliya village, Rajasthan, India. The observed individual exhibited browning in all the areas of the plumage that are normally black in this species, including the head, wing feathers, and tail feathers. However, feathers with no pigmentation remained white and unaffected. Genetic and dietary factors are thought to be major factors responsible for such aberrations in birds, but more research is needed to determine the exact reasons.