is this normal...

[Mealworm]

Whilst watching the birds this morning feeding.. i noticed a Juvenile Blue tit come to the feeder! But noticed something a little bit different..

The blue tit only had body fur and feathers.. but no head fur.. all exposed head!

Is this normal for young blue tits?

I Will attempt to get a picture at some point

thanks!

[~T~]

A baldy tit?

[htcdude]

I don't think there's a definate answer, try this thread :

Bald Great tit

Nige

[Mealworm]

More bald than that great tit thread you just posted.

It's whole head is.. just skin. the rest of it'self is normal though!

I'm going to try get a piccie of it now!

[Mealworm]

I Managed to get a pic, not very decent but nevertheless you can see what i mean!

[bigdave60dog]

No, That is not normal. Kinda cute though, don`t you think?
Is that dirty great hole on just above the top mandible on the left? If so it looks more like a deformity than an injury. It may be a malignant tumour.
Dave

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Mealworm

I Managed to get a pic, not very decent but nevertheless you can see what i mean!

I see the problem. Your bird isn't actually a Blue Tit. It's a Vulture...like this one I took..



Nige

[PeteIsntAPuffin]

Originally Posted by Mealworm

I Managed to get a pic, not very decent but nevertheless you can see what i mean!

I'm sure he comes in my local pub on a sunday!

I'll be honest though, I did laugh but that's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen!

Originally Posted by bigdave60dog

No, That is not normal. Kinda cute though, don`t you think?
Is that dirty great hole on just above the top mandible on the left? If so it looks more like a deformity than an injury. It may be a malignant tumour.
Dave

That, I believe, would be it's ear, no?

[MrGill]

That is very fascinating and bizarre.

It could easily be some kind of of viral, bacterial or fungal infection. Maybe a parasite, possibly even an allergy. Or maybe it's just plain old bad luck and it lost out in the genetic lottery. The holes are, of course, its ears, but we're so unused to seeing birds' ears exposed.

If it's a new condition, and doesn't affect other birds, would it be named
"tit-head"?

[davecatt]

Its not uncommon, the baldness is caused by feather mite infestation. The bird looks healthy enough and it will probably recover.

bigdave60dog:
The hole in the side of its head is quite normal, its one of its ears.
Dave