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Message: <blockquote data-quote="streatham" data-source="post: 175607" data-attributes="member: 5001">Hmm - probably not offering much useful but as someone birding in the US I'd say the lack of black mask is pretty unusual - it doesn't look like a young bird to me as they tend to have a dark bill and a greenish/brown overall tinge with red deveoping on the wings, tail and the crest first as I remember.  I have seen very bald headed and faced cardinals (some sort of mite as I recall) but the loss of it's mask that way seems unlikely.  A bit of a mystery but to me it doesn't seem like any wild cardinal i've seen in summer/winter or juvenile plumage.Luke</blockquote>