But the only way to solve the case is to wait for the cardinal to swap its feathers. These health issues could also lead to changes in how carotenoids-plant-based pigments that turn feathers red, orange, and yellow-are expressed.Īlthough this alternative theory is plausible, ultimately, LeBaron agrees that genetics could be the sole factor. ![]() While wear and tear is a natural part of a bird’s life, it can be exacerbated by a poor diet or environmental stressors. As Geoff LeBaron, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count director, points out, the cardinal’s crest and wing feathers look frayed in photos. The condition he cited, xanthochroism, has been seen in other cardinals, along with eastern House Finches and maybe Evening Grosbeaks.īut that’s just one theory behind the bird’s wardrobe malfunction. He told her that the bird probably had a genetic mutation that renders the pigments it draws from foods yellow rather than red. Thankfully, Stephenson had already consulted Geoffrey Hill, an ornithologist and coloration expert at Auburn University. The resulting images hit the internet last weekend, and boy, were people psyched. But instead of the typical ruby-red color scheme, this Northern Cardinal looked like it had been dipped in a bucket of turmeric.Īfter hosting the oddball for weeks, Stephenson invited fellow Alabaman Jeremy Black over to photograph it. Back in January, she found an impossibly bright male in her backyard in Alabaster, Alabama. So, it’s no surprise when a cardinal turns heads-except in Charlie Stephenson’s case, where that double take may have resulted in some whiplash. The National Audubon Society should know: Our Facebook followers can’t seem to get enough of them. As common as they are, Northern Cardinals rank among the most-loved birds in the eastern United States (unless you’re a Chicago Cubs fan). “If you see one cardinal, you’ve seen them all,” said no one ever. ![]() (This is typical for the species.) You can follow along on their Facebook page, created by Charlie Stephenson and Jeremy Black. After raising at least one chick, the couple now seems to be nesting again. Update: The Alabama yellow cardinal has shacked up with a red female cardinal in the yard where it was originally spotted.
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