Mystery as to why a kookaburra turned this spectacular shade of orange

An avid birdwatcher was stunned when a 'striking orange' kookaburra flew into her backyard.

The woman shared the photos of the strange-looking native bird on Facebook on Wednesday and asked fellow admirers how the bright hue ended up on its feathers.

'[I have] a number of kookaburras that visit every morning,” the woman wrote.

'This is the only one whose feathers have a striking orange color.'

The woman thought the color was a result of rolling in 'clay soil', but wildlife ecologist Sarah Legge revealed it could be the natural color

It has the unusual colors for about a year, she added.

At first, the bird enthusiast thought the hue might come from the kookaburra 'rolling in clay soil'.

Wildlife ecologist Sarah Legge revealed that this is common behavior for most birds.

“Many birds, including kookaburras, roll around in the mud,” she said Yahoo News Australia.

'We think it helps fight parasites.'

This can cause the feathers to darken slightly, but Legge added that she had never seen the color so extreme.

Kookaburras are native to Australia, with the starkness of the white feathers varying from bird to bird

“I've seen some kookaburras turn such a buffy color, but never as spectacular as what this photo suggests,” she continued.

If the color lasts more than a year, it may not be dirt at all, as the stark whiteness of a kookaburra's feathers varies from bird to bird.

“It sounds like it really is that color. Lucky guy,” Legge said.

Many fellow bird watchers were impressed by the discovery, with many agreeing that they had “never seen a bird that color before.”

Another wrote: 'It's beautiful,' while a third added: 'He's so cute.'