Posted on 03/25/2025 9:14:20 PM PDT by Red Badger
The cause of this unusual color might never be fully understood.
Image courtesy of Julie Maggert
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Birders in Michigan are scratching their heads over unusual photos of a snowy owl. The animal is perfectly perched on a telegraph pole, but instead of snow white and black feathers, the owl's feathers are colored orange.
Spotted in Huron County, the bird was photographed by amateur wildlife photographer Julie Maggert. Since sharing the images on social media, theories have been rife about what could have caused the bird's feathers to become orange.
One theory suggested that the owl had become covered in plane de-icer from nearby Huron County Memorial Airport. “The most likely explanation is that it was de-icing fluid at an airport, since some formulations are that red-orange color,” said Dr Scott Weidensaul, a co-founder of snowy owl research organization Project SNOWstorm, told the New York Times.
Birds can become covered in dye or paint, either accidentally or by human means; sometimes they can even change color due to curry.
However, others were skeptical of this idea and suggested the feathers were the result of a genetic mutation. Genetic mutations can play weird tricks on all kinds of animals, turning feathers and skin white, black, or even yellow.
“Something environmentally turned on the pheomelanin pigment synthesis pathway to make this bird over-express this rufous, chestnutty color,” Professor Kevin McGraw told Michigan Live. McGraw suggested that the bird's mother could have been exposed to a chemical that was then passed down to her chick, causing the coloration difference. “Through toxins, pollutants, other types of environmental stressors, including pesticides, heavy metal contaminants, or oxidative damage. Those are several things that come to mind with this bird,” he said.
Female and male snowy owls look quite different, but neither typically sport orange feathers. Image Credit: FotoRequest/Shutterstock
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Male snowy owls are almost completely white, while female owls have dark bars across their feathers. It's unlikely that the true cause of this owl's mystery feathers will ever be known.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, they have been aware of the bird since the middle of January. “The department has no plans to try to capture it for any reason,” Karen Cleveland, a wildlife biologist for the department, told the New York Times, “so we’re unlikely to ever have a conclusive explanation for this coloring.”
Beautiful creature
Hatched in an Orange Orchard ???
Trans-humans are often seen with strange colorations so maybe this is a trans-bird.
I would love to have one mounted in my den.
“Must have been a flamingo in the woodpile.”
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First thought here also. CRISPR?
Pumpkin Spice Owl?
If an owl with this coloration is again observed next year, it would be reasonable to consider 1) it’s probably the same bird and 2) the coloration is “natural” as it would have gone through a complete molt by the winter of 2025/26.
Climate change.
We have Red Tail Hawks...................
I remember that back in the 1960’s, ornithologists used to spray paint seagulls in order to track them. Currently, they use radio trackers, which have less effect on the birds.
How many bazillion acres does this owl need to survive?? I say it messed with a parrot....
It didn’t.
It’s daddy did................😉
It didn’t.
It’s daddy did................😉
I just got up....You expect me to be as sharp as a tack....lol
LOL!
Maybe the pic was taken on a Friday in Tennessee — “big game tonight!”
Same bird i saw on the regular up in PA and OH, except the reddish coloration was on the tail, hence the name “red-tailed hawk”.
I’ve long been fascinated with thar bird. Had a co-worker who was a master falconer back in the day; even had a golden eagle years back. Would talk about these red-tailed hawks a good bit if you caught him in a good mood.
Love those Red Shouldered Hawks. Have them here at my house too.
redshawk.
It’s Rusty and he has too much Iron in his diet ,LOL
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