Re: [cobirds] Chickadee coloration question, Arapahoe county

Atypical plumage in chickadees showing brown in feathers that would normally be black or gray is likely due to "dilution" of eumelanin (the melanin responsible for black/gray pigmentation) relative to phaeomelanin (responsible for reddish-brown) in the feathers.  Here are links to some examples and discussion of this topic:

David Sibley:https://www.sibleyguides.com/bird-info/black-capped-chickadee/gray-headed-chickadee-or-pale-black-capped/

Laura Erickson:https://blog.lauraerickson.com/2019/03/abnormal-plumage-part-ii-leucistic-birds.html

Kevin McGowan:https://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/brown-headed%20chickadee.htm

David Steingraeber

Larimer County, W of Horsetooth Reservoir

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From: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Barbara Spagnuolo <BSpagnuolo@crgov.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 1:45 PM
To: Deborah Carstensen <fiddlenurs@aol.com>
Cc: cobirds@googlegroups.com <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: RE: [cobirds] Chickadee coloration question, Arapahoe county

 

** Caution: EXTERNAL Sender **

Three years ago I photographed a brownish chickadee appearing at a friend's feeders near Downtown Castle Rock (Douglas County). It looked like a Mountain Chickadee but with brown markings.

 

-Barbara Spagnuolo, Douglas County

 

From: 'Deborah Carstensen' via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 10:53 AM
To: Cobirds <cobirds@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [cobirds] Chickadee coloration question, Arapahoe county

 

I have a chickadee coming to my birdfeeder that takes pictures and it looks like it has an unusual amount of black/brown on the chest and sides.
I would like feedback on what people think about these coloration differences from our normal chickadees.

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