Expert: Roger Lederer - 8/5/2009

Question
Hi, I'm in Southeastern Mass. I snapped a photo of a bird on my feeder. It's Dark Reddish Brown in color, about the size of a Grackle and has Bright Yellow eyes. It has a thick Black Beak that's as long as it's head. The most unique feature is that it's entire head is BALD.

The feathers are bunched up at the neck forming a colar of sorts and from the neck up is the same color, but completely bald. It resembles the head of a small condor. So far, none of the local birdwatchers have been able to identify it.

Thank you for any help you can provide.
PS: I do have photos.

Answer
Hi again. I did a little more thinking and a bit of research and I'm almost positive that you saw a bald grackle. It fits the description and is not particularly unusual. (Bald Cardinals happen a lot.) It's not a normal molting pattern but this sometimes happens around molting time. Most likely the reason for the baldness is due to feather mites. Birds will clean themselves of mites but they can't reach their head, so the mites destroy the head feathers. Doesn't really harm the bird and the feathers will grow back.