With distinctly different coloured patches (7)

I believe the answer is:

piebald

(Other definitions for piebald that I've seen before include "Having contrasting patches of colour" , "Marked in two different colours, especially black and white" , "(Of horse) patched with two colours" , "(Of an animal) marked in two different colours" , "Two-coloured (horse)" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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