great tit, no green on vack (1 Viewer)

jape

Well-known member

• May 25, 2018

• #1

sorry no pic yet.
looks like great tit, very clean colours with clear black stripe down chest but this one is very grey on back with no green at all. chest belly not very yellow, pale. I assume from size it is great tit.
thoughts on lack of green?

 

Nutcracker

Stop Brexit!

• May 25, 2018

• #2

Guessing an urban area, and it is feeding largely on low-grade birdtable food (peanuts, etc.) lacking in the carotenoid pigments they usually pick up from a natural diet (green caterpillars, etc.).

 

Deb Burhinus

Used to be well known! 😎

• May 25, 2018

• #3

jape said:

sorry no pic yet.
looks like great tit, very clean colours with clear black stripe down chest but this one is very grey on back with no green at all. chest belly not very yellow, pale. I assume from size it is great tit.
thoughts on lack of green?

Click to expand...

Hi jape

Sounds like you have a recently fledged juvenile there. They can appear quite grey on the mantle and rather pale lemon on the belly. Its one of the first things I observe with new GT fledglings

scroll down and look at third image in the row

https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/great-tit

https://www.hbw.com/ibc/photo/great...s-preened-its-plumage-after-heavy-rain-shower

 

Last edited: May 25, 2018

jape

Well-known member

• May 25, 2018

• #4

thanks deb! well done, that is it.