2nd extremely rare albino cardinal admitted to Pennsylvania wildlife center

A Pennsylvania wildlife center took in an extremely rare albino cardinal — and it wasn't even the first one for them this summer. 

The Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in Washington Boro, Lancaster County, said it's estimated that the odds of seeing any cardinal displaying white feathers are about 1 in 30,000, and true albino cardinals, which lack all pigmentation, are even rarer.

The wildlife center took in Frosty back in July after getting a call from a woman who found a white bird under her car. When the bird got to the wildlife center, they realized it was actually an albino cardinal, which is considered one of the rarest bird sightings.

But then the number of albino cardinals at Raven Ridge doubled. The wildlife center said it admitted a second one, but it was already compromised due to a severe ear infection. The second cardinal didn't survive, as the wildlife center said "fragile" albinos typically have a short lifespan.

Frosty is doing well now and "has developed quite the personality," the wildlife center said in a Facebook update on Thursday. He's no longer the white puffball that was first admitted. Now that he's molting, some color is starting to come through in different areas. 

Frosty will have to be kept in captivity the rest of his life because Raven Ridge said his chances of survival in the wild would be "slim." A genetic mutation in albinos causes a lack of melanin, turning Frosty white and giving him reddish-pink eyes. This means he has no camouflage and poor eyesight, so it would be nearly impossible for him to avoid predators like cats and hawks.