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Birding/Cardinals--Coloring

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Expert: - 7/8/2008


Question
Rodger, I've been having a cardinal, I assume female, coming to my feeders with a grey beak.  Not the normal red/orange.  Last night I had another bird show up that looked like a cardinal except it had a black beak! He did have the black mask like a cardinal.  They both have the body of cardinals (which I have many at my feeder) except lighter in weight and a hair smaller.  Are these cardinals exceptions to nature?  Thanks Cindy

Answer
Probably not. There is a lot of variation in cardinal coloration and this time of year you have birds molting as well as a lot of young birds. Immature Cardinals have black beaks. What most people do not realize is that individual birds of a species vary a lot if you look closely. Just like humans, although we notice the differences in our friends and neighbors and relatives more quickly because we pay more attention to them.

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Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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