Posted by WiseAcre on Aug 23rd, 2009
Black Headed Cardinal
2009
Aug 23
A strange looking bird stopped by to use the glorified bird bath I made on Long Island. I identified it as a Cardinal as it flew in but after looking at the photos I had to second guess myself and double check.
Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis
Seems it’s molting time and this handsome guy went bald. His head is black because his skin is black and Cardinals usually lose all their head feathers at once. Another reason his head could look black is the head feathers as they gow in are black.
Desktop Wallpaper – 1024 x 768
Gone bald and without his crest he can still smile. I wonder if I could if i lost my ponytail.
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August 23rd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Pony tail, on a bunny?!
August 23rd, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Haha, what she said!
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:57 pm
He definitely is bald. You can see his ear hole. He shows no sign of new pin feathers coming in. Love your birdbath!
August 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Great shot! I think he looks great with male pattern baldness!
August 24th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Maybe he could wear a baseball cap or something to cover his head until he gets some rogaine. He’s still a nice looking and unique bird.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:21 am
Your bird looks not real. You have place a toy bird for photographing.
I am right. Yeahhhh…
August 25th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Wow, nice birdbath. Oh that poor fella -didn’t know it happened to birds too!
August 25th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Wow, in the first photo the bird is so vibrant it almost doesn’t look real. What cool photos!
September 6th, 2009 at 7:20 am
That is a real bird, rainfield. Here in Montreal, there are two male cardinals that visit daily with the same affliction. I don’t recall seeing capless males from previous seasons. I hope the cap grows back.
July 27th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
I have one too! Just like the one in the picture. I live in SE Massachusetts. Comes to my feeders everyday.
August 1st, 2010 at 12:09 pm
It’s been driving me crazy trying to figure out the identification of a cardinal -like bird without a crest at my feeder.After searching the internet, I now realize my back yard bird is indeed a cardinal. I live on Cape Cod and have lots of cardinal couples, but never one like this who appears a loaner with featherless head.