Mr Yellow

Mr Yellow

Mr Yellow is a rare yellow-colored cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), which was first spotted in Charlie Stephenson's back yard in Alabaster in January 2018. Photographer Jeremy Black, a friend of Stephenson's, captured images of the bird, alone and alongside normal red cardinals.

Biologist Geoffrey Hill, an international expert on bird coloration who teaches at Auburn University, happened to be on a sabbatical in Australia when Mr Yellow was observed. He explained that the bird has a mutation that prevents it from converting the yellow carotene in its diet into red. He estimated the rarity of Mr Yellow's mutation as "one in a million".

In early June Stephenson and Black, who have continued to observe Mr Yellow at Stephenson's back yard feeder, reported that he had been keeping company with a female cardinal and was protecting a nest with two hatchlings.

References

• Pillion, Dennis (February 26, 2018) "'One in a million' yellow cardinal spotted in Alabama." The Birmingham News
• Pillion, Dennis (June 2, 2018) "Rare yellow cardinal appears to be a father." The Birmingham News
• Pillion, Dennis (June 11, 2018) "Yellow cardinal's babies have left the nest." The Birmingham News