Albino Crow
In November of 1952 Harry E. Nesbitt, a resident of Sandpoint since 1888, refuted a University of Kentucky professor on the subject of albino crows.
An Associated Press story from Lexington, KY, on November 12, 1952, quoted Dr. J.M. Edney, acting head of the University of Kentucky's Department of Zoology, as saying that a crow killed in that state is the first albino crow seen or killed in the U.S. for at least 50 years.
Not so, said Nesbitt. He killed one in 1940.
It happened like this: Nesbitt, who is an engineer, was building a bridge near Hot Springs, Montana in the spring of 1940 when he noticed a flock of about 100 crows nearby. The crows were excited and swooping down on a bush.
When he investigated, Nesbitt found a full grown true albino crow with pink eyes. Everytime the albino tried to get out of the bush the black crows would swoop down and chase it back.
Nesbitt got a .22 caliber rifle and shot the albino. For many years it was mounted and on display in his summer home on Lake Pend Oreille. He also reported seeing another white crow in a museum in Helena, MT but it had some dark feathers and was not a true albino.
Donor: Harry E. Nesbitt
Adopted by: Sarah Moon
In November of 1952 Harry E. Nesbitt, a resident of Sandpoint since 1888, refuted a University of Kentucky professor on the subject of albino crows.
An Associated Press story from Lexington, KY, on November 12, 1952, quoted Dr. J.M. Edney, acting head of the University of Kentucky's Department of Zoology, as saying that a crow killed in that state is the first albino crow seen or killed in the U.S. for at least 50 years.
Not so, said Nesbitt. He killed one in 1940.
It happened like this: Nesbitt, who is an engineer, was building a bridge near Hot Springs, Montana in the spring of 1940 when he noticed a flock of about 100 crows nearby. The crows were excited and swooping down on a bush.
When he investigated, Nesbitt found a full grown true albino crow with pink eyes. Everytime the albino tried to get out of the bush the black crows would swoop down and chase it back.
Nesbitt got a .22 caliber rifle and shot the albino. For many years it was mounted and on display in his summer home on Lake Pend Oreille. He also reported seeing another white crow in a museum in Helena, MT but it had some dark feathers and was not a true albino.
Donor: Harry E. Nesbitt
Adopted by: Sarah Moon