Dark Crystal Robin

This poor little robin looks like something from Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal. He - or she - doesn’t seem particularly bothered by its rather alarming appearance, and follows me along the bridge hoping for mealworms which of course I’ve forgotten once again. 

I’m used to seeing birds looking decidedly the worse for wear at the end of the breeding season, but never quite as bad as this. Back at the entrance, I show a photo to the warden who has no firm diagnosis of the problem; he thinks, like me, it could simply be a very stressed out bird, or possible a case of feather mite.

Back home, I wander down that rabbit hole that frequently opens up when researching blips, but really don’t come up with anything new. It could be feather mite - and there’s no definitive view on whether this harms birds - or could be an excessive case of moulting, as is sometimes seen on American Cardinals.