What’s wrong with this bird?

Last month (July 2017) I photographed this Flemish Jay in the Ardennes. As you can see in the attached photo, this bird has a half bald head. Is this because it is still a juvenile or is it the other way around a consequence of old age? Or rather a disease or a victim of a predator attack or something else?

Asker: Mark, 61 years old

Answer

Hey,

Presumably he was attacked, which resulted in him being partially scalped. Luckily for him, he had no further damage, was able to escape and survive.

Regards,

Christine

Answered by

Dr. Christine Vander Heyden

PhD: developmental biology on zebrafish, tooth development, gene expression patterns (ISH), in vitro cultures of tissues, histology (LM and TEM) Teaching assignment: lab biotechnology, biochemical analysis techniques, immunology. Environmental subjects.

HighSchool Gent
Jozef Kluyskensstraat 2 B-9000 Ghent
http://www.hogent.be/

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