For those who are not familiar with Ring Ouzel markings, shape and behaviour, it is easy to confuse a Ring Ouzel with a leucistic Blackbird. Leucism is fairly common in Blackbirds and they can easily be mistaken as Ring Ouzels.

Male Ring Ouzels are like Blackbirds, but with a conspicuous white breast-band and pale fringes to the wing feathers. Female Ring Ouzels are similar but the chest-band is duller and its plumage browner. Both the male and female Ring Ouzel are obviously scaly underneath and have pale edges to their wing feathers making the wings paler than the body.

Other distinguishing markings include:
- The leucistic Blackbird may have a very noticeable yellow bill and yellow circled eye.
- The Ring Ouzel has pale whitish/silvery edges to the wing. You should see the paler area on the primary feathers when in flight.
- The Ring Ouzel’s distinctive crescent shaped white chest-band is on the upper breast rather than on the throat.
- The female Ring Ouzel is browner and the chest-band dirtier than the male.

The following photos of a leucistic Blackbird were taken by Graham Hill in his garden in Gillingham Kent in early winter 2011. This is an example of a very good Ring Ouzel "look-a-like"

Other photos of leucistic Blackbirds are shown below.