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?
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.
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http://www.hogent.be/
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