On one of my backyard feeders near the Bay Bridge, I glimpsed a bird several 
weeks ago that looked like a male cardinal with a black head and no crest. 
At the time, I went through the books looking at various grosbeaks, but 
decided it could not have been any of them.  Today, I saw it again and was 
able to get my binoculars on it.  It IS a male cardinal, but it apparently 
has some sort of problem.  The head is black, and appears to be missing most 
of its feathers.  I can see the ear holes.  There seems to be some fuzzy 
down-like feathers around the head and a few quill-like things sticking up 
just above the beak where the crest would normally start.  The rest of the 
bird looks normal, and it acts normally.  Because it has survived for 
several weeks since I first saw it, I do not think it is dying.  But, is it 
sick, or is it some sort of genetic anomally?  Does anybody know what this 
is?

Steve Long
Cape St. Claire, MD