Summer is the season where my Cardinals are not their usual stunning selves! The phrase “Bald is beautiful!” definitely does not apply to them!
During this time of molting, some of them look like they are trying to use the comical comb-over technique to hide their featherless heads.
It’s safe to say that molting is NOT a pretty process! But thankfully, their brief period of baldness will soon give way to a splendid new batch of flaming-red head feathers and they will once again be the beauties of the backyard…
…like this gorgeous guy!
Backyard Bird Nerd 
I’ll have to look more closely at mine for molting! Great shots!!!
Too bad it’s annual, but good that it’s brief. A chance maybe to find to some cast off feathers. A big bear in my backyard this morning ate all the sunflower seeds & peanuts I had just spread on the wall for my indoor cat to watch the birds. Gave up the feeders yrs. ago when the bears tore them down. And broke 2 of them. Charlie Cat may have to give up bird-watching for awhile again. Oh, these poor old Asheville bears roaming around town, all displaced from the developed mountainsides. Such a shame & a concern. This one this morning had a ear tag so it is being tracked.
Charlie the bear watcher…I can see it now. 🙂
I have a bluejay here with few if any feathers on his head. I didn’t know birds molt every year. I haven’t seen any cardinals like this before.
They are rather creepy looking! The first time I saw one I had no idea what it was.
Oh dear! He looks quite displeased at you shooting him not looking his best. 😀
Poor fellas, with their bright red color, it shows their ‘baldness’ so much more. So nice he’ll be back to beautiful in no time! 🙂
Wonderful post – great transformation!