Posted by Kathy Walters on December 18, 2002 at 16:18:46:
Hi all.
Last week I was out collecting water samples with a Loxahatchee NWR biologist when I saw a little blue heron, 1st year, with a decided light pink tint to
to its white feathers. The biologist thought I had something other that water in my drinking bottle.
I took pictures with my little camera, but the color of pink was so light it just looks white in the photo.
Today I was in the same area, on the west side of SR 441 just south of Boynton Beach Rd. In the ditch was another VERY pink bird. No camera this time but I did go back to take a good look. This bird looked just like a cattle egret and was much brighter that the bird I saw last week.
One of the biologists at the refuge has seen birds that were blue-green after being sprayed with agricultural chemicals. She thinks this may be the case with the pink birds I am seeing.
Any thoughts on why these birds are pink?
Keeping one eye on the road and one eye on the birds.
Kathy Walters