Tufted Titmouse w/ orange throat, Massachusetts, USA (1 Viewer)

[TKbird]

Any thoughts on this orange-throated and orange-washed titmouse? I've seen thousands of titmice and never seen one like this, nor can I find any documentation of others.
Thank you!
-TKbird

 

[KenM]

Looks like a Tufted Titmouse which ordinarily has orange washed flanks, suspect this individual’s orange wash is just more extensive.

Cheers

 

[TKbird]

Looks like a Tufted Titmouse which ordinarily has orange washed flanks, suspect this individual’s orange wash is just more extensive.

Cheers

I agree that is the most plausible explanation, although I'd say an understatement! To have a normally small and well-defined flank patch spread over the entire underside of the bird is a dramatic difference.
I wonder if diet impacts the extent of orange on TUTIs.

 

[Butty]

Aberrations happen.

 

[TKbird]

Aberrations happen.

Naturally. But rather than leaving it at that, I personally prefer to seek possible explanations, lest there be any, in hopes of learning something about the origins of said aberrations.

 

[Butty]

Most certainly. But something such as, say. erythrism doesn't explain it any more than saying 'it's an aberration that involves the bird turning redder/browner than normal' - which wouldn't be an explanation - it would just be giving it a label. For something that actually rates as an 'explanation' one needs to look at the molecular/genetic level (if that's where, as I would guess, the origins lie), which I suspect is beyond most of our pay-grades. So, personally, I would doubt that a useful explanation of this one will go much further than 'it's an aberrant individual'.

 

[KC Foggin]

You might try sending an email to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with the pictures? They might have an explanation

[email protected]

 

[AveryBartels]

Was the colouring apparent in real life as well, or just in these images? The goldfinches seem a little on the "warm" end of the spectrum as well and I wouldn't be surprised if the odd colouring could be the result of something as benign as simply the lighting/photo quality which often accounts for apparent colour aberrations.

 

[TKbird]

Was the colouring apparent in real life as well, or just in these images? The goldfinches seem a little on the "warm" end of the spectrum as well and I wouldn't be surprised if the odd colouring could be the result of something as benign as simply the lighting/photo quality which often accounts for apparent colour aberrations.

Great question! Yes, if anything it was more noticeable in real life than in the photos. The orange belly and throat jumped out to me with the naked eye at a distance of about 25m (80ft), after which I watched it with binoculars for a bit as it moved around. Roughly comparable in saturation to a female Red-breasted Nuthatch, I'd say. The throat was a darker orange.