Hi Kassie,
The sun and general wear and tear will do it. As feathers become older, the
colors along the edges and tips get worn off. In this photo, it looks like sun
bleaching to me. Different birds molt into fresh plumages at different times of
the year and in some groups, like hawks, a single molt takes multiple years.
Most birds molt before or after the breeding season since breeding and raising
young is so energetically costly on its own.
There is always the possibility that an individual genetically has irregular
plumage, too.
Jennifer
Jennifer Miller
Lubbock, TX
(o,o)
/)_)
" "
Email: foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx
Blog:
https://foundnature.weebly.com/
On Aug 21, 2021, at 10:18 AM, Kassie Moore <kasbang55@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hey Jennifer, why would plumage fade? Age? Molting?
On Fri, Aug 20, 2021 at 4:09 PM Jennifer Miller <foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx>--
wrote:
Looks like a nighthawk to me. Very cool! Plumage is probably faded. Love
finding them! :)
Jennifer
Jennifer Miller
Lubbock, TX
(o,o)
/)_)
" "
Email: foundnatureblog@xxxxxxxxx
Blog:
https://foundnature.weebly.com/
On Aug 20, 2021, at 2:35 PM, James Leatherwood
<jamesleatherwood@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
So what do I have here? A very light nighthawk?
Sent from my iPhone
<IMG_0533.MOV>
Kassie
