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Project Noah Nature School
Cardinalis cardinalis
“Yes, I look a little freaky – you would, too, if you not only were molting but got caught in an ongoing torrential rain for hours. I will look so handsome when this is behind me though!”
My yard
Young Northern cardinals, both male and female, show coloring similar to the adult female until the fall, when they molt and grow adult feathers. They only shed a few flying feathers at one time so that they can keep flying as new feathers grow in. You can see the bird’s ear on its bare head.
Spotted on Jul 17, 2013
Submitted on Aug 23, 2013
14 Comments
A belated thanks, Sergio!
Great series, Maria, and the first photo is so beautiful! Very artistic. Congratulations.
Thanks for your kind comments, Christiane, Yasser, Leuba, surekha, Marta and Cheryl. Just goes to prove you needn't be goodlooking to be popular :>)
And thanks for the shout-out on the Woodpeckers around the world blog, Yasser. Birds can be so interesting!
Wonderful series!!
Poor scruffy cardenal! Cute, Maria :-)
Everyone has a bad hair day :)) Fantastic captures, Maria! Love them!
Molting or not, he still looks great - brilliant shots, Maria !
By the way, loved your blog post on Woodpeckers around the world! If anyone reads this comment, they should check it out too: http://projectnoah.tumblr.com/post/57156...
Awesome series and a great look at an important process for birds!
Looks like a punk... Love the shots..
Glad you enjoyed this spotting, Ashley, Mark and Mauna! I must say that I felt a bit sorry for this bird, looking so bedraggled after the downpours. But they sure are good-looking when they finish the process.
Totally looks like Fawkes the Phoenix from Harry Potter! Very interesting spotting, love it.
Great shots. Makes me feel like scratching though. :-)
Haha love this, Maria! And I like how you did your own little caption contest too ;)