Interestingly, we also have a male Cardinal lacking head feathers coming to
our feeders in Bethesda, Montgomery County, the overall appearance very
much like the one photographed at her feeder in Howard County by Ginny
Walker.  Puts one in mind of a diminutive but handsome vulture.

We've only seen this particular one the last few days, when a lot of
cardinals seem to have moved in.  One pair has been busy feeding two very
large young Cowbirds.  The bald one doesn't seem to be associated with young.

Does anyone have any idea why this feather loss phenomenon occurs?  Is it
reversible?

Mike Bowen
Bethesda



At 05:29 AM 6/22/2004 -0700, Ginny Walker  wrote:
>We have a very strange cardinal coming to our feeder.
>It looks like a cross between a black vulture and a
>cardinal as the cardinal has no feathers on its head
>and its skin is black.
>
>I've posted a picture accessible from:
>http://webspace4me.net/~troopinfo/
>Then click on "Bald Cardinal Picture".
>
>Does anyone know if the lack of feathers is some type
>of disease or mite?  The bird acts healthy in other
>ways and is, I believe, feeding young.
>
>Ginny Walker
>Highland, MD
>Howard Cty
>

D. H. Michael Bowen (Mike)
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda MD 20817-3845
Tel/Fax: (301) 530-5764
e-mail: