I spied this bird feeding on the ground with a lot of Cardinal juvys and females. Later, it flew up and perched on a limb.
When I first spotted it I thought it was a male Northern Cardinal, but on second thought, look at the head, it's all black - no mask. Now, I don't think it is a male cardinal.
I looked in my books and can't find anything like it.
So, what did I snap a picture of?
Thanks, again
I'm also wondering if it could be some kind of Robin?
Hack
It's a Cardinal that has lost its head feathers. Partly the normal moult which happens at this time of year, partly probably also a feather mite infestation. It'll grow a new set of head feathers over the next month or so.
Resin
Thanks Resin,
I looked again at my pix and apparently what I thought were black feathers, is black skin.
Got to remember this scenario.
Hack
I was cruising around looking at bird web sites and found the answer - Resin you were dead on.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/BaldBirds.htm
Hack
