LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Losing Feathers

Good morning there, Mr. Cardinal. You're looking quite fine today.
"Well actually, lady, I'm not doing so well. I'm not that old, but I fear I'm turning bald already."
Gee, you look just fine to me.



"Well, take a look at my profile. Do you notice something missing?"
Oh, I see what you mean.





"Comb-overs don't work very well for birds, you know?"
That's true, but you do have a bit of topknotch left.


And you really are a beautiful bird anyway.
"Guess I'll just try to look at things head on for a while."


Sometimes that's the best thing to do anyway.

18 comments:

The Bug said...

Heh - I love your conversations with the wildlife around your home.

Since my shoulder surgery I've noticed a marked increase in the amount of hair going down the drain - or in my brush - or anyplace at all in the house (we found some in the refrigerator last night - ick!). I have a lot of hair - but much more of this & I'll be looking like Mr. Cardinal!

Rae said...

Do birds actually lose feathers as they age? I have never noticed. Poor Mr. Cardinal. He is going to have to find a way to disguise his bald spot or else the ladies will be looking elsewhere.

Dog_geek said...

Oh Mr. Cardinal! As my dad always told me: God made some heads perfect, and on others, He put hair!

George said...

I'm glad you told Mr. Cardinal that he still looks good -- he does.

abb said...

Hope they grow back...he's gonna be cold this winter if they don't. And he is beautiful in spite of feather loss.

Rudee said...

He's beautiful even though he's lost a few feathers.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Carolyn, Mr. Cardinal still looks pretty---although he gradually will continue to molt... Wouldn't it be nice if WE could lose some of our old skin in the fall, and gain some new, beautiful skin in the spring????? ha ha ha

It's raining here today--and our birdies are eating like crazy.... The Cardinals just had another brood---so they are teaching the little ones how to eat at the feeders. They are the first birds to wake me up in the mornings and the last ones before dark --at the feeders. Special birds!!!

Hugs,
Betsy

Cedar ... said...

Maybe handsome Mr. Cardinal lost his head feathers to Mrs. Cardinal in a "discussion?" Or perhaps a moment of passion? Well, I guess we'll have to use our immagination as he sure isn't going to tell us!

Ruth said...

How humiliating! He needs to meet my Blue Jays who are even more bald but are slowly improving. I haven't seen a cardinal with a comb over yet around here ;-)

KB said...

Chuckles from here in Colorado!

An aside question: Do you have any tricks for keeping woodpeckers from pecking your house? We, um, have a problem. An expensive problem. We're planning to try putting roosting boxes on each side of the house, in hopes that individual birds will adopt them, and then stop pecking plus defend the territory. Sounds far-fetched, don't you think?

robin andrea said...

He's still a beauty. We never see cardinal so, it's always a treat to see one here.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps he is low on feathers, but high on colour!

Janice K said...

What a cute blog. I love the way you told the story.

Tina said...

Well chosen words for Mr. Cardinal..better to keep your conversation positive! Cute pics of him and your commentary fit right along with your pixs. He'll get pretty again..winter is coming he can't face all that cold with a featherless head!

Mary Lee said...

AH! Maybe that's how the troubles of Darth Vader cardinal in my backyard began!

I read that it's a genetic fluke in molting and that it'll grow back. I felt so bad for the one in our yard I let him eat my figs.

Here's picture I found online that looks like the one I saw. Let me know if yours starts looking like this:

http://www.whatbird.com/forums/photos/upload_your_photos/picture15272.aspx

Dawn Fine said...

Hee hee..very cute! No comb overs please!

Twisted Fencepost said...

I've never noticed birds losing their feathers before.
Wonder what causes that?
But now I'll be looking for it.

Mary said...

I have a lot of bald males, too. They'll be sporting a new head of hair soon. It has something to do with mites, I think.