[wisb] About Brown Feathers
- From: Mitch <mitch@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 05:17:25 -0500
Hi All,
I first heard about this and saw images posted on a bird forum two
winters ago. The images were of a Hairy woodpecker in Ontario and the
speculation in the forum and from subsequent searches by me ran from
tannin on the feathers from the inside of the nest hole, to speculation
that feathers on juvie birds last longer before first molt, and the
feather is just dead. Neither of which explains why the white bars on
the same feathers whose black areas are no brown, didn't also turn
brown. Tree tannin would certainly discolor the white and the black
areas equally, but no image ever showed that. Heck, it could even be
sunburn from the thinning ozone layer.
However, I am now trending toward the juvie feathers lasting longer and
discoloring than any of the other theories. Because I have since shot
what looked like young looking hairy's with brown feathers, and the
other day, a second year male Rose Breasted Grosbeak in my yard with the
same browning feathers. I'm no scientist though, I just collect the
images. :o)
Here are two, one Hairy and one of the Grosbeak;
http://www.picturelacrosse.com/birds09/mixed1/brown-hairywpf-img_3294-012709.jpg
http://www.picturelacrosse.com/birds09/mixed1/rose-breasted-grosbeakm-1d2n7525-052809.jpg
Thanks,
Al Mitchell-
La Crosse, La Crosse County
http://www.picturelacrosse.com/
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