Newly surfaced pictures of a bright orange snowy owl have become the latest wildlife mystery to take over social media, with photos of the "never-before-seen" bird circulating as viewers try to decide whether they are seeing a real animal or a fake generated by artificial intelligence.

The photos, taken in 2025, were trending again and had many people posting on the social platform X with plenty of thoughts. 

One Pubity (@pubity) post drew a lot of attention, igniting a lively, joke-filled comment section.

A never-before-seen owl has been found in the USA.

While snowy owls are known for their white feathers, this owl, nicknamed "Rusty" by locals, has an unexplained reddish-orange appearance. pic.twitter.com/NUnEITZoyN

— Pubity (@pubity) May 8, 2026

The owl, spotted in Michigan, has picked up nicknames including "Rusty" and "Creamsicle." Its unusual coloring prompted a flood of theories online, ranging from chemical staining and genetic mutation to adaptation and digital manipulation.

Experts say the bird is real, even if its color remains unexplained. As reported in 2025 by Snopes, Bill Diller seems to have been the earliest person to publish photos of the owl in a local newspaper. He wrote on Facebook in late January, "Not sure what's going on with this bird — It's a snowy owl, but I've never seen one with this coloration." 

He added that he did not manipulate the image "in any way, except normal processing," and said the color had not been enhanced or changed.

Ornithologist Scott Weidensaul, cofounder of Project SNOWStorm, a snowy owl research initiative, echoed that reassurance. Although he has not seen the bird in person, he said the circulating images do not look like AI to him. As he explained, the plumage behaves the way real feathers do, noting that "every feather can move independently of each other." In his view, the orange tone is more likely the result of dye or staining than of a computer-generated image.

Scientists still do not know exactly what caused the coloring. 

Weidensaul has suggested that the owl may have been accidentally sprayed with a substance such as red primer. At the same time, Arizona State University biologist Kevin McGraw told local media that a genetic mutation is also possible. He added that without a feather sample, it is difficult to say more. 

Other theories raised by experts include staining from airplane deicing fluid or wildfire retardant, though an unusual diet is considered unlikely.

That mystery matters for reasons beyond internet curiosity. If a human-made chemical altered the owl's feathers, the case could point to yet another way industrial materials intersect with wildlife. 

More recent photos taken in mid-March, after the initial ones, appear to show the owl's orange color fading. However, it remains unclear whether the bird is molting into fresh feathers or if whatever stained it is simply wearing off. For now, as photographer Julie Maggert put it, "We may never know."

Commenters have been just as captivated as the experts. The internet still has no answer, but it has clearly found its favorite mystery bird.

"Quit dumping Cheetos on the owls," one user commented on Pubity's post. 

"That is one of the coolest things I've ever seen," said another. "Stunningly beautiful."

"I need this guy perched on my shoulder, gazing wisely into the eyes of strangers," added one more.

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