Last July, the folks at Raven Ridge Wildlife Center received a call from a woman named Brenda, who’d made a shocking discovery. She reported finding a small white bird seemingly trying to drink water beneath the car’s suspension.
The Raven Ridge staff
wasn’t so concerned about the bird’s size and color at first, but they were worried about her possibly being dehydrated, especially as a major heat wave swept across Pennsylvania. So, they decided to take her in immediately.
Brenda placed the bird in a box, then drove her straight to Raven Ridge’s headquarters. When she got there, however, the staff was stunned to learn that the bird she had wasn’t a typical young with white feathers — he was actually extremely rare.
“[W]e were instantly taken aback,” Raven Ridge wrote on Facebook. “Our eyes widened, and our jaws dropped as we realized we were witnessing a rare occurrence that most people never see outside of pictures. This was a fledgling albino cardinal.”
The Raven Ridge staff had cared for plenty of birds before, but they’d rarely come across a true albino cardinal. This one, whom they named Frosty, became an instant marvel amongst all the veterinary staff.
“Albino cardinals are considered one of the rarest bird sightings, with estimates suggesting that the odds of encountering any cardinal displaying white feathers are about 1 in 30,000,” Raven Ridge wrote. “True albino cardinals, which lack all pigmentation, are even rarer.”
You can watch footage of Frosty here:
Frosty’s red eyes and bright white plumage set him apart from the rest. In the wild, his striking appearance would make it difficult to camouflage and hide from predators. But thanks to Brenda’s quick thinking, Frosty was finally safe at Raven Ridge’s headquarters. And he now had a chance to grow into full adulthood alongside other rescued birds, despite not being able to return to the wild.
“Unfortunately, this cardinal will need to be kept in captivity, as its chances of survival in the wild would be slim,” Raven Ridge wrote. “What an amazing opportunity for our team to see and care for this beautiful cardinal.”
The Raven Ridge team was in awe of their new arrival and diligently cared for Frosty every day. Then one morning, another albino cardinal arrived, leaving the crew even more bewildered than last time.
“[W]e couldn’t believe that we now had two!” Raven Ridge wrote on Facebook.
This time, the cardinal they saved wasn’t fully white, but instead had orange spots all over. And he was in a much more delicate condition than Frosty due to an ear infection. The Raven Ridge staff introduced the two cardinals, then quickly got to work trying to save the new guy.
Sadly, the second cardinal didn’t make it, despite the team’s best efforts. It was a heartbreaking turn of events, but the Raven Ridge crew was ultimately grateful that they got to care for the little guy in the first place.
“[T]hese fragile albinos typically have a short lifespan,” Raven Ridge wrote. “However, our team was pleasantly surprised and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with both cardinals.”
You can see more pictures of Frosty and his albino friend here:
After the devastating loss of the second cardinal, the folks at Raven Ridge are relieved to report that Frosty is still thriving and has even developed a quirky personality. He will stay at Raven Ridge for the rest of his life, where he’ll have constant access to food, warmth and other feathered friends who are survivors just like him.
Frosty is just one of many birds whom Raven Ridge cares for, but he’ll always be one of their most unique and beloved residents.
“This experience has been a valuable learning opportunity for our team, and we are grateful for the chance to work with this special cardinal,” Raven Ridge wrote.
