Rare reddish-orange snowy owl in Huron County captivates birdwatchers

A wintertime visitor to Huron County has become noticeable in certain circles. Not because of its presence, but because of its unusual coloration.

This snowy owl with a colorful anomaly has been spotted in Huron County.

Bill Diller/For the Tribune

Snowy owls frequently migrate from their arctic home to this area in search of food. It’s not unusual to see this white ball of feathers soaring through the skies over Huron County’s open fields during the winter months. Frequently they can be spotted along country roads sitting atop utility poles or in trees. They are predators on the lookout for small animals or birds to sustain them through the winter months, before heading north when the weather warms up.

This winter a certain snowy owl has garnered attention because of its unusual coloration. Normally white, this owl is noticeably brighter, sporting a rather jaunty reddish/orange appearance. It has been seen numerous times over the last few weeks, and made a splash on social media, causing photographers from as far away as Detroit, Port Huron, Flint, and Grand Rapids to travel to Huron County in hopes of spotting the snowy owl with the colorful anomaly.

A snowy owl with orange coloration flies over an agricultural field — While Rusty’s coloration has not been explained, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the owl appears healthy.Credit…Julie Maggert

Because of its coloration, the owl’s presence has been reported to wildlife authorities, who seem to be at a loss as to why it sports such brightly colored feathers. Reasonable guesses range from it being a natural mutation to some sort of human contact, whether accidental or intentional.

Among the human contact theories is that it was perched and drenched with fire retardant in proximity to a wildfire in Canada. Another theory is that it was perched and drenched with deicer at an airport runway. Other theories are that it was accidentally sprayed with paint while near bridge construction, or marked by an unknown but authorized scientific entity in order to track it more easily.

No matter what the cause, this brightly colored snowy owl is a beautiful bird. Someday, the cause of its colorful anomaly may be known. In the meantime, people are encouraged to respect it, and let it exist peacefully, as it seems to be healthy and living the life of a ‘normal’ snowy owl.