Indian Pied Myna (bald)

Description:

These birds are strikingly coloured: Orange, black and white. The birds are social and vocal. The bare skin around the eye is reddish. This one is the only one of three chicks that has gone bald. I saw these three being raised by the parent birds and although fully fledged ...the three (and Mom and Dad) come for breakfast and pot-luck meals throughout the day now that I am marooned at home by the floods. It is not discriminated against and appears to be otherwise healthy.

Habitat:

My rooftop terrace.

Notes:

Baldness is common in mynas. I have seen quite a few Acridotheres tristis and one Common crow that went bald. Apparently mites, pesticide exposure, moulting gone wrong, over-preening, nutritional deficiencies may all be to blame. In this case, however nutritional deficiency is unlikely as the family hangs out and shares food. https://besgroup.org/2010/09/13/balding-....