Our Education Birds: Snow

Snow is a Red-tailed Hawk. As you can see, he is mostly white, but Snow is not albino. To be a true albino, an animal must lack all pigment, even in the eyes; Snow’s eyes are deep brown. Snow will also usually have one or two brown feathers somewhere on his body. The condition of being mostly white (but not albino) is called leucism. Leucism is thought to be genetic, but scientific research is inconclusive.

Snow was found in a field near Terra Alta, West Virginia in 1997. When Snow arrived in 1997 he was an adult bird of about two years old. Snow was very thin and his left eye had been punctured. Since he lacks vision in the injured eye, Snow cannot be released back into the wild. We think he may have been attacked by another Red-tailed Hawk.

Like most raptors, male Red-tailed Hawks are smaller than females. Snow usually weighs between two and a half and three pounds, compared to Annie’s approximate weight of four pounds.

Snow is more nervous around people than our other education birds, and his unusual beauty never fails to draw a crowd! He is a beautiful, special bird. Look forward to seeing more of Snow in the future!

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Snow's Image Gallery:

Snow at Jackson's Mill
Snow at Camp Muffly
Snow and Katie at Pow-wow
Snow and Leah at Outdoor Show
Snow and Jesse at State Capitol
Snow at the Raptor Center