The white bird has been spotted by homeowners in Shirley
Sam Truelove Senior reporter
16:01, 24 JUL 2019
UPDATED17:38, 24 JUL 2019
A rare albino magpie is thought to be living in Croydon due to it regularly being spotted in residents' gardens.
The white bird, believed to be "one in a million", has been spotted by homeowners in Pinewood Close, Shirley .
Martyn Burnley first saw the rare specimen around five weeks ago, and the 66-year-old says he has seen it every day since.
"It's around all of the time," the semi-retired financial director said.
"It comes out in the mornings and evenings and it seems to have happily bedded in with a family of normal magpies."
The albino magpie is often spotted in gardens of homes on Pinewood Close, as well as in nearby woodland.
Mr Burnley, who believes the bird has a black and white mate, initially thought it could have been a dove.
"We saw that it was a white bird and we all thought it was a dove at first," he said.
"When it appeared in the garden I managed to take a photograph. One of the cats was about to pounce before I pictured it on the lawn.
"We were told it has the tail of a magpie and realised it must be one due to it is always playing with other magpies."
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