Lizard-head/Bald Cardinals

A break from the usual since I have started watching bird cam web sites more than usual. A big thing that comes up again and again with new people watching and asking about birds on the cams is that there is at least two Cardinals that are experiencing 'lizard heads" on one site I watch. Meaning that they are missing all of their head feathers and look like weird dinosaurs (Which they are, BTW).

Many links to sites that say it is a typical molt during breeding, or just after, and it happens all the time. These are mainly the first hit on Google and I get that this is what folks think is the real answer based on that.

In my research, and experience, this is not normal. I am convinced that this is due to mite infestations that cause the Cardinals to shed the infected head area to get rid of the pests and then regrow the head feathers after they are gone.

When you have time, please read this informative blog post from a fellow bander, Bill Hilton, that spells it out in great detail. I have cooresponded with him for many, many years. He knows what is what.

Hilton Pond explaining head mites on Cardinals.

I have banded birds for almost 20 years and have banded and handled hundreds of Northern Caridinals and have never seen one Northern Cardinal with a bald head in our banding sites and only a Red-winged Black Bird in the Seattle area many years ago with the same condition. And Northern Cardinals breed up to 3 time a year in Florida (if food is available) and never molt the head feathers.



Molting happens in a particular sequence along feathers on both sides of their bodies to balence things out (unless it stress molts a tail in the Spring; which is a whole other topic). Why would a bird just molt everything on the head for no real reason?

Just another thought to my new web cam familys and those that be interested. I am no specific scientist. Just a citizen scientist with observations.

I feel these 'lizard-heads' are just dealing with mites. My two cents.