Pale Great Tit?

[Dae]

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the really stupid question, also the really bad photo for illustration. I've recently noticed several very pale great tits visiting my feeders. They look to be in full plumage, so does this mean they're just juveniles?

Thank you!

[DUFFY]

Hi Dae,

The Juvenile Great Tit has yellow cheek patches so yours looks like it's in adult plumage (could be it's first set of adult feahers as, I believe that these can be duller in some species - not 100% on that though). This could just be because we are in mid winter and although the Great Tit does not have any difference in plumage between summer and winter as such, birds do tend to have a duller winter plumage as they are not competing for a mate and have no need to show off their plumage to it's full extent. Also as well as having a less defined black stripe on the chest the female Great Tit is duller than the male.

Hope this helps.

Ray

[Dae]

Thank you for your reply Ray. I think your explanation is entirely plausible, so perhaps this is it. As I have several of similar colors about, I have to assume this is the reason. I have both the full adult colors (both male & female) and the pale color adults(?) visiting, so perhaps I've just got a mix.