Help Me Identify a Bird

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

cwren — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:34:31 GMT

Oh and I will add, I did not start birding until I broke my ankle 28 June 2007. My husband gave me a bird feeder, so I would have something to look at for the next six weeks, while I had my foot up in a cast, for my birthday on July 4 2007. I sat and did research and tried to ID all the birds I had seen, but never noticed before. One was the bald male cardinals. All of those guys, ...and I have a whole subfolder full of them and they were not the same bird...they showed up on a brand new feeder, so if it was parasites, they were getting them from another feeder, as mine was brand new.

Always good advice being given here...I just cleaned and refilled my feeder. Thanks for the reminder.

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

cwren — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 17:21:59 GMT

To clarify...

Cardinals, both male and female, may experience parasites, or head molts.

The most noticeable, in this part of NC, in July, is the male cardinals going bald, specifically most noticed in July. It may be the males are more noticeable, due to their normal plummage suddenly disappearing, makes them stand out more, with their little bald black heads, with that bright red body, giving the impression of a tiny red vulture. It is not confined to my immediate backyard, either.

Due to the fact it is all over the region, and not just localized to my feeder area, is why I suspect it's a seasonal head molt, and not a parasite, in the birds males I have seen. If my feeder contained parasites, I would see this during other times of the year, possibly with the females and babies, or other among other birds, and no one else, over a hundred miles from me, would be seeing the same thing, at the same time of year.

Your female cardinal, Indianabirdlover, is a female, and taken earlier in the year, and you didn't notice other cardinals with the same lack of feathers, the female in the photo may very well be due to parasites.

I believe both to be the culprits, with birds, yes. But when I see a bald male cardinal in July in NC, I expect to see other bald male cardinals, in July in NC and I do. I do not attribute it to parasites, unless I see research done, that a parasite is most prolific in July and the cause of male cardinals losing their head feathers in July in NC. Which I have not seen. By the end of August, everyone has their head feathers back, and I do not see this occurence again, until around July the following year.

If you see only one or two, it may very well be parasites. If you see nothing but bald male cardinals all over the place, say in March... and the following year, you see the same thing again, at the same time, it could be a seasonal molt you may not have noticed before and not parasites.

Even the experts say they do not have enough information to say for certain, but the proof is out there from reports of birdwatchers, that support the theory of seasonal head molt and dispute that it is only caused by parasites.

For me, the proof is in the fact I only see this in July, on a large scale. If I see a bald male cardinal in October, I would suspect parasites, and clean my feeder.

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

IndianaBirdLover — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:46:47 GMT

cwren:
This phenomenon I have observed every summer around July with our cardinals. I have noticed it is only males that experience this. None of the other cardinals (female and babies), or other species, go through this at the same time the male cardinals do.

Actually, I took a picture a little earlier this year of a female northern cardinal that seemed to be "bald" -- not quite to the same extent as the males I see, but close. This is the first female I'd seen like this, though.

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

Nu_2_Birding — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:06:00 GMT

Regardless of molt or parasites.......I'd probably give my feeders a good scrubbing next time you refill. Maybe a bit overkill but it's never a bad thing to clean the feeders.

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

cwren — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:28:58 GMT

This phenomenon I have observed every summer around July with our cardinals. I have noticed it is only males that experience this. None of the other cardinals (female and babies), or other species, go through this at the same time the male cardinals do.

For this reason, I suspect my male cardinals are going through a seasonal head molt, rather than a parasitic problem, here. Parasites most likely do cause the head feathers to fall out. But if it were parasites, I would think it would affect all birds or even birds of different species and you'd observe one or two others with this affliction.However, if you observe many male cardinals at the same time, losing their head feathers, and at the same time of year, year after year, I would suspect a normal head molt, rather than a parasite.

Cornell talks about it here and there are a couple of other sites, I don't have handy at the moment, that show studies of this happening support the theory of a normal molt.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/BaldBirds.htm

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

jbm32206 — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:51:51 GMT

There certainly does seem to be an outbreak of this....and yes, that's a male cardinal

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

thekiwi — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:24:05 GMT

I agree it is a Northern cardinal there has been a great number of these this year parasites I think is the main cause

Re: Red bird with black head and yellow bead

Jim Penny — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 03:00:16 GMT

It is a Cardinal.

There has been two or three of these Postings with pictures since at least June that I know of. Must be an outbreak! Never seen one like this myself.

Red bird with black head and yellow bead

Chatch — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 02:44:19 GMT

I spotted this bird on my feeder today. Looking on this website, it looks like it could be a Northern Cardinal with a parasite problem. Do you think that is what it is. We have lots of cardinals all year but I have never seen this before.

I can't seem to get the picture to attach. Sorry.