Back to the bird feeder today. I have never seen this before – a Cardinal with no feathers on its head. From a distance the bird looked like a Cardinal with black head feathers. But once I loaded the images onto the PC this is what I got! I searched online (which is, of course, a totally reliable source for information) and found that the reason for this condition is not universally settled. Among the causes given include partial molting, parasites or lice. Whatever the reason though the condition is not good since the feathers provide protection the skin from the Sun and from striking hard objects.
(Click on either image to open the gallery and zoom-in on the details!)
A Trivial Mind At Work 
We have one fellow like this, as well…
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From a distance I thought it was a black-headed Cardinal – I had discovered new species! But, alas, it was not to be…
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So sad looking.
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He looks beat-up! But he was still singing (and eating the seeds!)
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I’ve got a guy that has been visiting me for 3 years with this issue. I feel its an odd molting pattern, as lice & mites cause more than their head to go bald. Luckily, he does grow his feathers back just in time for winter!
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