How Did a Snowy White Owl Turn Orange & Red?

In January, birder and photographer Bill Diller photographed an odd sight: a brilliant orange-red snowy owl, a creature that is normally snow-white with a few flecks of brown. The colorful bird, seen in Huron County, Michigan, has since been dubbed Creamsicle or Rusty by other owl enthusiasts – but no one knows what caused the unusual plumage.

Photo credit: Julie Maggert via Instagram

One theory holds that the owl became orange as a result of a genetic mutation that may have been driven by environmental stress, such as exposure to pollution. 

Competing theories say the coloration isn’t consistent with those seen in typical mutations. Perhaps the bird was doused with paint or some other unnatural dye. One possibility holds that it was drenched with fire retardant during Canada’s wildfire season.

“The most likely explanation is that it was de-icing fluid at an airport, since some formulations are that red-orange color,” Scott Weidensaul, co-founder of snowy owl research group Project SNOWstorm, tells the New York Times. “It’s certainly not natural.”

Although there is no consensus on what caused the weird coloring, there is also no great rush to find out. Wildlife biologists at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources say they've been aware of the bird since it was first spotted in January, but because the owl appears healthy and well,  the state agency intends to leave it alone and not publicize its whereabouts.

The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is one of the largest owls in the world, weighing over five pounds and with a wingspan that can top five feet. The species is designated as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, so it’s just as well we’re leaving this colorful one alone.

Photo credit: James Robinson via Facebook