#leucistic robin

[jbureyart]

Illustration for book editor's website.

Media: Digital, pencil sketch

[rhiannatruex]

Leucistic Robin

[vizlearning]

See, Share, Learn: Crowdsourced Science for Everyone!

We have long been fans of Project Noah, the crowdsourced online nature guide. Beyond its visual learning component—which is huge—the platform seems to bring out the best in people. Sharing is deftly woven into learning.

For example, the other day, I spotted a somewhat unusual-looking bird busy worm-hunting in a nearby yard, so I took a couple of photos (the two on the left that are a little fuzzy). I posted on the Project Noah site and within hours, a 16 year-old avid birder identified it: an American robin with leucism.

Leucism? Never heard of it. But that was no problem. Another citizen naturalist thoughtfully posted a link to an article explaining the condition, which turns out to be related to albinism: a genetic pigmentation issue.

Wow. I love knowing this. But I am perhaps even more thrilled that a 16 year-old stranger was ready, able and willing to share the answer. I had the sighting. He had the knowledge .Project Noah made collaboration possible. That is truly brilliant.

I was asked to cross-post my find in the "Rare Color Morphs Mission." "Missions" are sightings organized by characteristic, submitted by different people across the network—in this case, plants and animals showing unusual coloration. 

In just a couple of years, Project Noah has emerged as a remarkable tool for scientists. Submissions can be geo-tagged, making it possible to look for clusters. Over time, it may be possible to chart trends, too. 

I had actually noticed earlier in the year that the robins in my area sported a distinctive white patch on their folded wings. So the gene(s) responsible for leucism have literally been flying around the local population: evolution in the backyard.

Best of all, anybody anywhere—including children—can submit photographs to Project Noah. It's easy and fun and could potentially play a role in cutting edge science, too.

By the way, the much better photo on the right is from a terrific blog called The City Birder—a leucistic robin spotted in New York a couple of years ago.

Be sure to check out Our Wild Planet, Project Noah's first book featuring photographs submitted by contributors, an app available free on the iTunes store.

Now, go out there, see what there is to be seen—and take some pictures!

— J. A. Ginsburg

* Although this story focuses on science, detecting patterns, collecting data and classifying are important mathematical skills. And, yes, there are MathStart books! Here are three: 

Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom! (patterns) 

The Best Vacation Ever (collecting data) 

Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop (classifying) 

RELATED:

• The Visual Difference: Seeing is Believing / On Maps, Photos, Time-Lapse & Planetary Wonder  / J.A. Ginsburg, vizlearning

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