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Unfamiliar plumage aberration observed on a Razorbill Alca torda at Machias Seal Island.
Citation
Oliker, D., Diamond, A. W., & Major, H. L. (2026). Unfamiliar plumage aberration observed on a Razorbill Alca torda at Machias Seal Island.
Marine Ornithology, 54(1),
57-61.
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.54.1.1679
Received 14 October 2025, accepted 10 November 2025
Date Published: 2026/04/15
Date Online: 2026/04/06
Key words: aberrant plumage, dilution, Razorbill, somatic mutation
Abstract
Aberrant plumage variation in seabirds can be caused by both heritable genetic mutations and non-heritable somatic mutations due to environmental stressors. In Razorbills Alca torda, aberrant colouration has been documented four times: three as cases of melanism and one seemingly of leucism, both heritable mutations. Here, we describe the observation and subsequent capture of a Razorbill with an unfamiliar plumage phenotype we hypothesize to be caused by a somatic mutation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported instance of a somatic mutation affecting the plumage of a Razorbill in the primary literature.
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