Posted on 02/27/2018 11:36:35 AM PST by nickcarraway
By Dennis Pillion dpillion@al.com An extremely rare cardinal has birders and biologists flocking to Shelby County, Alabama this week, as images of a yellow cardinal have circulated around social media.
Auburn University biology professor Geoffrey Hill said the cardinal in the photos is an adult male in the same species as the common red cardinal, but carries a genetic mutation that causes what would normally be brilliant red feathers to be bright yellow instead.
Alabaster resident Charlie Stephenson first noticed the unusual bird at her backyard feeder in late January and posted about it on Facebook. She said she's been birding for decades but it took her some time to figure out what she was seeing.
"I thought 'well there's a bird I've never seen before'," Stephenson said. "Then I realized it was a cardinal, and it was a yellow cardinal."
But I did see a good sized Water Snake last week and some turtles sunning on a log today.
About 8 weeks ago I saw a hawk and about 3 weeks ago I saw an eagle.
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He’s gay.
Is it a male or female?
Wonder if it had a mate tagging along...
“Oh, pointy birds;
Oh, pointy, pointy,
Anoint my head;
Anointy, nointy.” — Dr Hfuhruhurr
Cool.... I got a few couples that stop by every morning before sunrise....females don’t like crowds... Then their also the last to feed (as couples) usually shortly after sunset
He identifies as a canary ...
Most likely the male...
Yellow bellied turtle...more like it.
Hahahahahahaha! Love that movie!
Lol...
The males usually eat first, scope the place out. Before they eat, the males often fly to vantage points all around the property, taking a look. They go from this tree...to that tree...then, after they get a good look, they go down to the feeder.
They are very cautious, except when there is another male around, and they can get quite reckless.
Then, when when the male eats, the female appears close by, then she eats, and he watches. He will sometimes get something, fly over to her, and give it to her.
I love Cardinals. Just about everything about them is good.
Blue Jays, on the other hand, as another Freeper once said: “I never knew a Blue Jay that wasn’t an a**hole!”
"The prettiest girl I ever saw was sippin' bourbon thru a straw."
"......"
"The moral of the story is clear, instead of bourbon, stick to beer."
scum sucker..Yellow Bellied scum sucker.
Proof of Global warming.
Thread I saw yesterday said it’s a male.
‘Birdie with the Yellow Bill...Hopped Upon My Window Sill...Cocked a shining eye and said...How’s yer Baby...Buggy?!?
I get along with the blue jays pretty good..
I have a small balcony with a 6 foot long railing...I’ve been leaning on the balcony chatting with a neighbor and the neighbor would say...don’t look now but there’s a bird right next to your arm ( elbow). I’d glance over and say..oh it’s only him...he wants a peanut (in the shell)....making my neighbor laugh like hellm.*smiles”)*
Jays are excellent fielders...catch better then most...I get a kick out of watching them squat just like a dog does as he knows when your getting ready to throw...*smiles*
“Yellow Cardinal Spotted in Alabama”
I don’t see any spots on it.
Maybe this pic was taken somewhere outside of AL.
I can’t believe no one beat me to that comment.
Cards are very good catchers( single peanuts)...
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