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cardinal with black head and no crest
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seda
Posts : 2
Joined: 07-13-2006
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cardinal with black head and no crest
I have seen a male cardinal with a black head and no crest and orange bill.I have read that this time of year they molt their head feathers.He did not appear to be bald,but to have a black head.I also read mites could cause this oddity.
Has anyone else seen this phenomenon?Thank you for your help.
Sincerely,
Sarah Wells in Fargo, ND
P.S we get very few cardinals this far north--so One really pays attention when onea(a cardinal) is about
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
You might have a partially melanistic (Dark) Cardinal. I had a male Cardinal here in Nashville, TN about a month ago that was bald. His feathers have grown back now. Here is his picture
Bald Northern Cardinal (Male)
Watch the Birdie!!!
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I have a similar bird that lives in my neighborhood outside Philadelphia and feeds in my backyard. I've gotten close up pictures to confirm entirely black feathered cap with no crest, but everything else looks like a Cardinal. It isn't molting or other development quirk because I've been seeing it just about every day all spring and summer. Other bird orgs told me it was a quirk, but seeing that 1 or 2 others have seen similar thing in other places, I'm thinking its a variety--how do I confirm that?
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I have also seen both male and female cardinals with all other coloring typical of the species, but with flat head - no crest. The male has a black head. I have been seeing them at our feeders all summer. There must be a new variety in the mix.[?]
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
Hmmm, very interesting! I'd like to see some pictures. I love bird aberations and try to see and study as many as I can.
Watch the Birdie!!!
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
Hi guys,
It is most definitely "bald cardinal season." The birds everyone is seeing are bald or molting cardinals. And they may not always look bald. I just learned that when undergoing this kind of molt, the skin is black, and so are the feathers when they are still in sheaths. That's why the heads still look feathered, but entirely black.
Here's the link I promised...
Check out Nuthatch's August 8th post on Bald Birds over at bootstrap-analysis.
http://www.bootstrap-analysis.com/2006/08/bald_birds.html
Tons of good info and pictures, too!
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
well, the one I've been seeing is most definitely not bald. i'll get pics up next week.
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
From NC. I have been seeing a male cardinal with no crest and black head all spring and to date. He and his mate feed at our feeder daily. I'm going to check out link on bald birds as suggested in one of your replies.
Keep me update if it's mites, a new breed, etc.
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I am in Baltimore and have had a male cardinal with a black head and no crest in my yard. He and his mate built a nest in the thicket of my rosebush. The nest is empty now but I will try to get pictures of him. Searching for information about it is how I came to this forum.
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I have a bald Female cardinal with ONE verly long feather on top of her head coming to my feeders now. It gives her a VERY comical appearance. I haven't been able to get a good pic......YET.
Watch the Birdie!!!
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
Thank goodness I found this forum! I've been going crazy, and driving others crazy, all morning trying to find out about the black headed cardinal I have at my feeder today! Like others of you, I'm not seeing a bald bird, but a black head, almost like a cardinal grabbed a chicadee's cap. He's otherwise brillian in color.
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
To everyone seeing cardinals with black heads:
Please photograph the birds, if you can. Post the images on this forum, or send the images to: mail@birdersworld.com
Please tell us what time of year you saw the bird, and where you are located.
Thanks for your help!
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RE: RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
Originally posted by Kathie
I am in Baltimore and have had a male cardinal with a black head and no crest in my yard. He and his mate built a nest in the thicket of my rosebush. The nest is empty now but I will try to get pictures of him. Searching for information about it is how I came to this forum.
[i live in pasadena and a pair of them arrived with the rain storm in spring that dumpt 10 in of rain they made my yard and feeder thier home--all other normal cardinals moved out---the black headed one are about the size of robins and their orange beaks are 3 times the size/quote] have not seen them at all this week but they did give birth
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Catmit60
Posts : 355
Joined: 07-17-2006
On the Bay in Southern MD
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I've had bald cardinals this summer as well --I'm in Rose Haven, right at calvert/ anne arundel county line, on the bay - I've had bald jays and a partially bald crow . I've also had one female cardinal (or immature male) that has one long bedraggled feather crest, s/he looks like s/hes been on a 5 day drunk. I didn't see her for a couple of weeks but she turned back up last week, still looks hung-over. Earlier this summer I had one cardinal who didn't look quite right, he had no crest either, but it seems he was just being modest - I later saw him raise it - he must have been young also because his beak was black..
They definitely look better with their feathers on.
PS: we might have pics on roll at developer....
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
We had a blackheaded male cardinal with no crest in my backyard this evening (southern NJ suburb of Phila)- both my husband and I got a look with binocs. It did not look like the 'bald' pictures referenced in this thread, although the head did look just a tiny bit small for the body - it was black , no crest at all and covered with feathers. I did try to get a pic but the bird flew off. Will keep an eye out, and will look for more pictures of molting cards to try to identify it as such.
Freaky to see at the feeder
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Kat67
Posts : 437
Joined: 05-29-2006
Northwest Florida
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
Come on guys where's all these pictures! I want to see tooooo!
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I see many cardinals jays and other crested birds here but none without their feathers or with black heads. Thursday I saw a crow with tail feathers only about 3 inches long, but he could fly and turn in circles very good. Don't know if it was a very young one or what. They seemed to all be even like a regular crow's feathers. I live just South of I-20 in West Monroe, La. This is North La.
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Froll
Posts : 1
Joined: 07-13-2007
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I also have a fairly large male cardinal similar to the one pictured in the forum. The only difference being that even more of the head seems to be exposed and is totally shiny black. Af first, I was not sure what kind of a bird this was with the tiny head and large body but am convinced that it is a cardinal. I have seen it several times on the feeder in the last month (suburb of Kansas City, Kansas). Thanks for sharing the photo.
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chiz
Posts : 1
Joined: 07-16-2007
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
I have one too at my feeder in Austin TX. I wondered if it was a young male, very red, big orange beak but black head that seems smaller than the red part, so maybe no feather, but very black! What is it?
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RE: cardinal with black head and no crest
As mentioned above, it's probably a cardinal undergoing a molt of the head feathers -- very common this time of year. Please see the following pages for more information:
http://www.birdersworld.com/brd/default.aspx?c=a&id=512
http://www.bootstrap-analysis.com/2006/08/bald_birds.html
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