-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Help for Id, in Thailand (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tapi45
- Start date
RafaelMatias
Unknown member
Massive loss of head feathers or baldness affects Common Mynas quite frequently, but there seems to be no good explanation for that up to now (e.g.: https://www.besgroup.org/2010/09/13/balding-mynas/ )
I've seen quite a few "bald" (totally) Common Mynas (adults) in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand, and that phenomenon has been reported throughout its range. I took it for very heavy moult, but it seems the actual explanation might not be that simple.
I've seen quite a few "bald" (totally) Common Mynas (adults) in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand, and that phenomenon has been reported throughout its range. I took it for very heavy moult, but it seems the actual explanation might not be that simple.
Aladdin
Well-known member
Dear members and bird watchers
As Rafael says, there is not an easy explanation. I have looked around on internet and I have not found any answers. The only thing I have found, there is plenty about the subject, but no one know why
The pictures from Bngkok are of my very first bald myna and at first I thought I had seen a new bird. But something I recognised with the "Turkey" looking bird and I was soon to realise that it was a Common Myna
Kind regards and happy birding
Aladdin
Attachments
Nutcracker
Stop Brexit!
I guess one simple answer is that in a subtropical climate, feather loss on the head is not a serious chilling risk, so there hasn't been much evolutionary pressure for rapid feather replacement. In Britain a bird like this would be dead of cold very quickly in winter, and probably in summer too.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
It might be a fashion thing. The one at the bottom looks a bit like Keith from Prodigy
RafaelMatias
Unknown member
But that doesn't attempt to explain what causes it, rather why this condition doesn't seem to threat immediate survival ability of said affected individuals.
You'd expect this "strategy" to be followed by many other species living in warm environments, no? But it seems it affects Common Mynas more frequently and noticeably than other species, even in same genus. Hmmm...
Or... it might be a fashion thing.
