SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - As the non-profit provider of rehab, recovery and release of injured, orphaned and displaced birds and small animals, Wildlife Care Association (WCA) challenged the community to send their best bird photos and you did! Congratulations to all our photo entry participants!

Our 2019 honors go to Chamong Xiong of Fresno, CA for his rare and unique photo of a Leucistic Black Phoebe. A hardy native bird normally colored black, this genetic anomaly is a rare sight making this picture a unique view very few would ever see. 

A rare sight for bird watchers, this Black Phoebe exhibits a rare, genetic trait, similar to albinism, changing the bird’s color to a light yellow/white. This type of anomaly often makes the bird more vulnerable to predators and very rare.

Xiong captured this excellent picture at the Merced Wildlife Refuge featuring a crisp crystal-clear image and a depth of field providing a deeper almost natural view. 

Prizes included a wildlife library with a table top copy of “Birds of North America” by Noel Groves, “Encyclopedia of Birds” by Per Christiansen, David Attenborough’s “The Life of Birds” and a copy of “Getting Your Shots” by National Geographic, a WCA T-shirt, a glass owl cup and a personal tour of the WCA Rehabilitation facility at McClellan Park. And…of course our appreciation for his caring for nature and supporting volunteers giving wildlife a second chance to live at Wildlife Care Association!

The Wildlife Care Association Fall Photo Contest took place from Oct thru Dec 31 with entries submitted on the WCA Facebook page. See all the photos entered on the 2019 Fall Photo Contest Album page.

For more information or for help with injured, orphan or wildlife displaced by human activity call the non-profit Wildlife Care Association of Sacramento at 916-965-WILD.