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Birding/atlanta's cardinals

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Expert: - 8/18/2008


Question
We are in the middle of an exceptional drought..no watering, etc but we keep the water saucer clean and fresh water almost daily.Our birds look weatherbeaten and splotchy with not much color and crests missing...we use a feeder with sunflower seeds and regular.  Are they ill or is this a normal occurring thing in this water restricted time?

Answer
This time of year is when Cardinals molt their summer plumage into their winter plumage and when young birds put on their first adult plumage. I suspect you are just seeing plumage changes. I doubt if it has anything to do with the drought.
If there are any patches of missing feathers and all you see is skin, that's something different and could be due to feather mites. But in any case, they will be back to normal looking in a few weeks.

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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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