LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Cheria Richardson was recently watching the bird feeder at her home in Lexington Park when she had a surprising chance encounter with a rare bird. She spotted a white cardinal, a typically red bird that has turned white due to leucism or other similar conditions.
“We have a bird feeder in our front yard. I love watching the different birds that come around. I had just filled it up a couple of weeks ago when I happened to see something white out of the corner of my eye. I looked closer and saw him,” Richardson said.
White cardinal sightings are incredibly rare, as albinism or leucism occurs in approximately 1 in every 30,000 birds, according to Avian Report. Richardson initially told her husband, Mark Richardson, but it can often be difficult to believe such a story without seeing it for yourself.
“He flew off before I could get a picture. I immediately called my husband at work, but I don’t think he believed me. It was almost a week later when he came back, and I was able to show my husband, who thankfully was able to get this picture,” she said.
Outside of their general rarity, white cardinals are also well-loved by bird-watching communities. Richardson’s sighting took place in St. Mary’s County, but bird-watching groups are active throughout Southern Maryland, including the Anne Arundel Bird Club.
“I said I was so glad, now I had proof I wasn’t imagining things. He is so beautiful that I wanted to share it. We had a very dear friend pass away not long ago. She gifted me the tree out front before she passed away,” Richardson said.
Rare bird sightings and other unlikely encounters are often linked to recent events in our lives, as the meaning of an experience is truly defined by personal perception.
“When the cardinal first appeared, it perched on the tree for three days in a row. My husband and I immediately thought of our friend. It felt like a sign that she was watching over us,” she said.
Experiences like Richardson’s remind us that there’s always beauty to be found in the natural world. Sometimes, we can even connect our personal lives to an experience to help us understand why we see the things we do.
Installing a bird feeder is a great way to spot unique birds in your own backyard. If you live in St. Mary’s County, you may be graced with the presence of a white cardinal, too.
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Saw one in Hollywood two days ago. Now I know what bird it was, thank you!
Leave him alone, he got the flu!
A white Cardinal. Is that not a Pope?
I live on Seaside View Rd in Ridge Md. I saw him last week in my yard at my feeders as well. Now, I know what he was. Beautiful.
I didn’t know they are rare. Im also in St Mary’s and we have 2 of them.