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What happened to "my" Cardinal.
For the last few years I've had one nesting pair of Cardinals in my suburban yard. This year I saw them in the driveway. The male was feeding the female but instead of a beautiful red head his was gray. He was bald! Any ideas what the problem is?
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- Full Member
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It isn't uncommon for certain birds to lose head feathers. Cardinals, Blkuejays and grackle are a few.
Orinithologists figure that mites become so severe on the head and birds can't exactly pick them off and scratching is difficult, so the birds do a multiple shed. not only do they lose feathers, but hopefully the mites.
Ron
Orinithologists figure that mites become so severe on the head and birds can't exactly pick them off and scratching is difficult, so the birds do a multiple shed. not only do they lose feathers, but hopefully the mites.
Ron
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- Senior Member
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- Location: Piedmont Area, Northern NJ
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- Senior Member
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- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Piedmont Area, Northern NJ
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 143
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:14 am
- Location: Piedmont Area, Northern NJ
Sorry Lorax, I still can't post photos. They are nesting deep in the Lonicera sempervirens so they are not visible. I also spoke too soon. My nesting birds are not not bald headed cardinal. He is an immature male who is not the chosen breeding male. Unfortunately his head is only sparsely feathered. It is the other male I thought was him with a new hairdo.
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