this northern cardinal with a bald head may look unusual, but it doesn’t have a serious condition or rare mutation. sometimes, birds lose all the feathers on their heads first during a molt; skin mites are another possible cause.
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Tag: birding
a male northern cardinal feeds his mate. cardinals are often regarded as ‘romantic’; they are devoted to their mate, and sing to and feed each other.
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from left to right: northern cardinal, desert cardinal, vermilion cardinal
a kittiwake in the nest with its young. gulls are very fiercely protective of their babies, and both parents help to incubate and raise them.
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it’s well known that seagulls, crows, ibises, and other birds feed on scraps at landfills with an increasing lack of natural food sources. some birding organizations even host birding tours at landfills due to the variety of species. but scientists have found this diet may be harming the birds. 40+ seagulls’ stomachs were analyzed, and 80% of the birds’ stomachs contained debris such as plastic, glass, and metal.
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bearded vultures are known for their vibrant red coloration. however, this isn’t their ‘natural’ color; it is derived from red clay the birds rub onto themselves as a status symbol (the darker the color, the higher-ranking the bird). when bearded vultures aren’t provided with clay, they are white like this bird.
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a crow preens another (presumably its mate). while crows have a reputation as foreboding and unloving, they are very devoted to their mates and flock members and frequently engage in displays of affection like this.
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spunky the red-tailed hawk is a unique member of a flock of bald eagles. researchers aren’t completely sure how he ended up with the flock, but he appears to have imprinted on the eagles, and the eagles have accepted him as one of them. spunky shows some hawk behavior, but has also learned eagle hunting and social behaviors.
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this white large-billed crow was spotted in shimane, japan. crows with such drastic variations in color aren’t entirely uncommon, and have been seen not only in japan but in different crow species all over the world. it’s likely this bird’s color results from leucism, a genetic mutation that causes a decrease in melanin and other pigments.
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this house crow is unusually caramel colored. this mutation has been seen in other crows, and it’s of some dispute of what the cause is; many agree it is leucism, a lack of pigmentation, while others believe it is a seperate color mutation unique to crows.
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today's bird 