Credit: Brian D. Peer Posted on 12/30/2014 8:46:44 AM PST by Red Badger
Credit: Brian D. Peer
(Phys.org)—Ornithologists Brian Peer and Robert Motz, with Western Illinois University, found themselves with a unique opportunity a couple of years ago—to study a gynandromorphy in its native environment for an extended period of time. They have written a paper describing what they observed and have had it published in The Wilson Journal of Ornithology. The observations made by the pair of researchers represent the most extensive study of a bilateral gynandromorph bird in the wild to date.
Gynandromorphy is a condition where an organism unnaturally possesses both male and female traits. Examples have been observed in chickens, lobster, butterflies and other species. The cardinal in Illinois was particularly striking as males and females generally are colored very differently. The male is usually all bright red, while the female exhibits mostly a mix of soft and dark brown feathers. The gynandromorph wound up with plumage split right down the middle, literally—one half of the bird looks male, the other half female. In fact, when viewed from either side it is impossible to tell that anything is amiss.
Most mammals have the familiar XX for male, XY for female chromosomes. That is not the case with birds, their gender is determined by a Z pair—males have ZZ, females ZW, and hormones do not come into plays as much, thus gynandromorphy in birds is more common. Typically bilateral gynandromorphy such as observed with the cardinal, shows up early in life—it happens when the chromosomes in a dividing cell do not split normally leading some cells to have female information, the other male.
The researchers were able to study the gynandromorph in its native northern Illinois habitat, for an eight month period (which involved 40 days of actual study) to see how it fared—though most sightings occurred around human placed feeders. They noted that the bird was not approached by other cardinals for procreation purposes and interestingly, it never made a sound—not a single peep the whole time it was observed. It was never tested aggressively by other male cardinals either, which left the bird mostly solo. The researchers also noted that the bird did not respond to recorded calls.
In an interesting side note another gynandromorph cardinal was spotted in 1969, but its plumage coloring was reversed.
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More information: — Observations of a Bilateral Gynandromorph Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 126(4):778-781. 2014. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1676/14-025.1
ABSTRACT We describe behavioral observations of a bilateral gynandromorph Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in northwestern Illinois from December 2008 through March 2010. The bird exhibited the typical bright red color of a male cardinal on the left half of its body, and the dull brownish-gray appearance of a female cardinal on the right half. We observed the bird more than 40 days, mostly in the vicinity of bird feeders. It was never paired with another cardinal, was never heard vocalizing, and was not subjected to any unusual agonistic behaviors from other cardinals. These observations are among the most extensive of any bilateral gynandromorph bird in the wild.
Birds of a feather, eh? Red Badger you don’t know how much we appreciate you’re bringing this to our attention.
Interesting.
Red Birds, Red Badger, Red State.................
Barack Obama is a gynandromorph. Good to know!
That is the coolest looking bird ever! I’ll be looking at cardinals from both sides now ;-)
Nah, he’s ALL RED, INSIDE AND OUT................
Joni Mitchell – Both Sides, Now
Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere,
I’ve looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun,
They rain and snow on everyone
So many things I would have done,
But clouds got in my way.
I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow
It’s cloud’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know clouds at all
Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels,
The dizzy dancing way that you feel
As every fairy tale comes real,
I’ve looked at love that way.
But now it’s just another show,
You leave ‘em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know,
Don’t give yourself away.
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all
Tears and fears and feeling proud,
To say “I love you” right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I’ve looked at life that way.
Oh but now old friends they’re acting strange,
They shake their heads, they say I’ve changed
Well something’s lost, but something’s gained
In living every day.
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
I’ve looked at life from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know life at all
Songwriters: MITCHELL, JONI
Both Sides, Now lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Northern Illinois..haaa!
Lots of strange birds come out of that area.
We see a lot of cardinals in our area. If I saw one like that, I’d have to pass on my evening adult beverage.
Beal and Loki. Coincidentally, I happened to catch this particular episode of Star Trek very recently.
That is actually the City Bird of South Beach.
Key West, however is in such a snit over South Beach claiming the sex-freak bird that litigation is being considered.
Double pop-corn, please.
What about San Fransicko? They don’t have a City Bird?..................
An excellent episode! I thought of that image right away. I was thinking of posting it ‘til I saw it’d already been done.
Interesting about the lack of vocalizations. I wonder if it’s deaf. All-white, blue-eyed cats (and I believe some dogs) are deaf. I wonder if the funky coloration could have anything to do with it. Or maybe it’s just that it really doesn’t feel like either a girl or a boy so can’t be bothered to chirp at anyone.
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