topic Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers! in Community Chat

Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

KingstonsMom — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 15:37:55 GMT

A northern cardinal was caught in central Texas with a rare abnormality that causes it to have female plumage on one side of its body and male on the other.

Typically male cardinals are the well-known deep-red, while the female is a pale tan.

Birds who have bilateral gynandromorphism also share an ovary and a testis, the group Inland Bird Banding Association (IBBA), who initially banded the bird in 2014, said.

They said the bird returns each winter to their feeders.

Since the IBBA posted the picture to their Facebook page in late November, The cardinal's split color scheme has become an online sensation with more than 58,000 shares and 6,800 comments.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

NickNack — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 15:55:37 GMT

That's so interesting @KingstonsMom ! Thanks for posting.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

Spurt — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:09:55 GMT

Thanks for posting...I just love Cardinals...

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

BlueFinch — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:10:36 GMT

Love my garden cardinals. I saw this and thought it was fascinating. I was a bit perplexed by how this bird was captured, apparently more than once. Cardinals are skittish birds preferring to be admired from a distance.

I have a pair that has hung out in my garden for a couple of years. They enjoy several bird baths. What a devoted couple. On occasion, the male will be seen finding what must be a special treat, gently delivering it to the female. They never fail to make me smile.

I'm a little sad for this cardinal. I'm sure this anomaly has affected this birds ability for partnership. It's the makings for a little book -- The Loneliest Cardinal.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

yellowrose — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:19:55 GMT

@KingstonsMom Thanks for posting about this. Amazing.

Fly on over to E. TX little cardinal - my feeders are full.

It would thrill me to see you. No Capturing!

Aaaah @BlueFinch I hadn't thought about the partnership factor.

"The Loneliest Cardinal" Now I'm a little sad.

But you're right, it would make a good book.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

KingstonsMom — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:31:03 GMT

Either the loneliest cardinal or the most popular bird in the yard, since it has an ovary and a testis, LOL!

Depending on which sex mate they're trying to attract, it could just present that side!

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

Leggett28 — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:34:01 GMT

My Cardinal candle holder is the closest I’ve ever been to a Cardinal. I’ve never seen a real one.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

KingstonsMom — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:45:02 GMT

@Leggett28

Awwww, that's a shame!

We have lots around here and they're so pretty, but shy.

The females will usually wait on the roof of DH's workshop, looking longingly at the bird feeder, until they're sure no other birds are around, before they'll eat.

I love your candle holder, though!

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

fthunt — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:45:19 GMT

@BlueFinch I also question a WILD Cardinal on a human hand - many times.

Just doesn't pass my smell test

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

happycat — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 16:57:14 GMT

What a unique and pretty little cadinal. I wonder how often this happens with any kind of bird? Very rare, no doubt.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

esmerelda — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:02:03 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
Either the loneliest cardinal or the most popular bird in the yard, since it has an ovary and a testis, LOL!

Depending on which sex mate they're trying to attract, it could just present that side!

@KingstonsMom Thanks for the laugh. I needed a tissue after the idea of the loneliest cardinal was introduced.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

goldensrbest — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:04:10 GMT

I have never seen that type before, love watching the cardinals here.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

Venezia — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:06:01 GMT

Birds can become unafraid of the humans that they recognize. We have hummingbirds that will literally hover next to us while we're refilling their feeders. They're also so used to us putting out the feeders that they've been known to come right up to the sliding screen door to let us know, if they think we're a bit late!

And I have photos that I've taken myself, holding goldfinches and chickadees in my hand. If you sit near the feeders, stay still and hold seed in your hand, they eventually lose their fear of you. It takes time, but it does happen.

The photos look real enough to me. You can even see that the cardinal has opened his beak in the third one (so not a stuffed bird!). I would assume the photos were all taken at the same time; just from different angles. JMO, what do I know?

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

KingstonsMom — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 17:18:59 GMT

@esmerelda wrote:
@KingstonsMom wrote:
Either the loneliest cardinal or the most popular bird in the yard, since it has an ovary and a testis, LOL!

Depending on which sex mate they're trying to attract, it could just present that side!
@KingstonsMom Thanks for the laugh. I needed a tissue after the idea of the loneliest cardinal was introduced.

@esmerelda

That thought made me sad too, so I tried to turn it into something to smile about instead, LOL!

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

riley1 — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 18:10:26 GMT

@KingstonsMom - That was an interesting post. Thank you. Since I am just north of you by a few hours, we too have lots of cardinals as I did in NJ. Our females are not shy at all and will chase smaller birds off the feeders.

I was reading the Birds & Blooms magazine one time and they had a yellow cardinal that was photographed but I can't remember what they called it.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

Mindy D — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:01:35 GMT

I can’t believe this coincidence. I was just going to post about a related subject. This bird is a chimera. It has double DNA. I’ll be writing about chimerism soon.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

BlueFinch — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:17:58 GMT

LOL! @KingstonsMom Almost had me ready to change the title of my cardinal story. Until --- I did some research.

I found another cardinal I'm (assuming it's a different bird) with the same situation on BBC.com, Earth Series, as well as several different species. The rooster/chicken was interesting, too. Sorry guys, but it's rarely a good thing.

The BBC cardinal was studied on 40 different occasions. It was noted that gynandromorphism appears to present courting difficulties and it impedes any ability to belong. They are largely ignored, shunned, or actively attacked. This bird was also silent. Never heard to sing, or chirp. The observer wasn't even sure it could.

Capturing this thread's bird may have been made easier, having been befriended by those studying it. Perhaps it was welcomed attention -- by anyone. Risks thrown to the wind.

It reminds me of even humans, who often shun, or reject those who they perceive as different, or lacking their version of perfection. This story is heading toward one of acceptance of the beauty of differences.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

Boomernichols — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:23:01 GMT

@KingstonsMom When redbirds are here, angels are near! How fitting that you shared this interesting creature.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

NickNack — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:55:26 GMT

@BlueFinch wrote:
LOL! @KingstonsMom Almost had me ready to change the title of my cardinal story. Until --- I did some research.

I found another cardinal I'm (assuming it's a different bird) with the same situation on BBC.com, Earth Series, as well as several different species. The rooster/chicken was interesting, too. Sorry guys, but it's rarely a good thing.

The BBC cardinal was studied on 40 different occasions. It was noted that gynandromorphism appears to present courting difficulties and it impedes any ability to belong. They are largely ignored, shunned, or actively attacked. This bird was also silent. Never heard to sing, or chirp. The observer wasn't even sure it could.

Capturing this thread's bird may have been made easier, having been befriended by those studying it. Perhaps it was welcomed attention -- by anyone. Risks thrown to the wind.

It reminds me of even humans, who often shun, or reject those who they perceive as different, or lacking their version of perfection. This story is heading toward one of acceptance of the beauty of differences.

@BlueFinch That's so sad. My first thought when I saw the picture was how interesting that was. Then I thought about how sad it was for the cardinal. They are always in pairs at my feeder, and this one wouldn't have a mate.

Re: Calling All Cardinal Lovers!

BlueFinch — Sun, 08 Dec 2019 22:58:36 GMT

@happycat The article I read states that, although rare across all species, birds are more likely to show these abnormalities. A rooster on one side, and a hen on the other was mindboggling, too.