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Atypical Birds
The Atypical Birds Gallery features photographs of birds with albinism, melanism, leucism, erythrism, schizochroism, or other plumage abnormalities, as well as birds with structural malformations, such as beak deformities. Digiscoped images welcome!
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| Northern Cardinal gynandromorph |
On 14 April 2009
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Model:
Nikon COOLSCAN V ED
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This is a Northern Cardinal gynandromorph, which displays both male and female plumage. Because it rarely snows much in Oklahoma, I didn't have many images of birds in snow. After a nine-inch snow, I set up both my still camera and my video camera and aimed them at a feeding platform outside my window. A scruffy looking male cardinal landed and then turned into a female right before my eyes! I managed to take five pics and five minutes of video before the other cardinals ran it off. It was attacked by both males and females, depending on which side of it they ran into. Because of the deep snow, it was forced to compete with the other birds for food at the platform. This was the only time I ever saw this bird. I doubt that it could ever find a mate that would tolerate its cross dressing. Shows that it is not always a life style choice, some are just born that way. :)
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