are there birds without feathers

For many of them their vulnerability is a response to conditions imposed upon them by humans. But there are also communities of other humans who see the vulnerability and decide to do something about it—to knit clothes, for instance, to make the birds a little less vulnerable. Humans mitigating the damage humans have wrought. There is despair in that, and some comfort, too.

Although the marabou stork’s nudeness is normal, there are other explanations for why birds might be nude. Some birds pluck out their own feathers, leaving them nude. Two main causes exist for a bird to pluck itself nude. One is medical: The bird is suffering from a condition of some kind, such as an infection, a parasite, a disease, or an improper diet. The birds’ behavior is the other main factor: stress causes them to pluck out their feathers.

This is known behavior for captive birds. Science historian and writer Laurel Braitman, who witnessed a good deal of stressed-out animals while researching her book Animal Madness, says that she’s never met anyone who has seen birds compulsively plucking their feathers in the wild. “They tend to do it when something’s wrong,” she told Audubon in 2014. “More things tend to be wrong in captivity.”

Lately I’ve been looking at naked birds a lot. I’ve always had a fondness for “bare” birds—that is, birds without feathers. The marabou stork, a grandfatherly-looking bird with a mostly featherless head and an absurd appendage hanging from its neck, is my favorite species of bird. When it started to rain while I was at the Bronx Zoo, the marabou stork remained standing, undisturbed—the grumpy old neighborhood crank who doesn’t give a damn if he gets a little wet. Very good bird.

I am captivated by naked birds, by their trembling little bodies. They are captured beautifully by Oliver Regueiro in this photo essay, for example. Here is a cockatoo named Oscar, who is naked thanks to a condition called beak and feather disease. She has a good home and seems like a good bird. Apparently she has been called the ugliest bird in the world, a distinction that should really go to the potoo. Earlier in the day I discovered Rhea, a wonderful naked bird with a very intense social media presence. She is chronically naked, so nice people knit her little bird clothes to keep her warm.

FledglingsYoung birds become fully feathered by about two weeks of age (timing varies with species), and are then considered fledglings. During the late spring and summer, fledglings naturally begin to jump out of the nest. Unable to fly, these fledglings are sometimes mistaken for

What to Do If You Find a Young Bird

• Reinstall the chick in the nest, if you can locate it, and observe from a distance to see if the parents are using it. The idea that a bird will reject a baby just because it was handled by humans is untrue.
• If the nest is damaged, you can create a replacement by making holes in tupperware. To keep it safe from predators, line it with the old nest, grass, or leaves, and hang it from the original tree or another nearby structure.
• After you’ve placed the bird back in its nest, either a manufactured or actual one, keep a look out for its parents. If they don’t show up again in a few hours, get guidance from a wildlife rehabilitation facility. Please refer to our directory of Animal Hospitals and Rehabilitation Facilities for suggestions on where to bring your birds. ).
• Take the birds to an animal hospital or rehabilitation center if their nest is located high up in a building and they can’t get it back to its original nest or to a suitable place for a replacement (which can occasionally happen in New York City).

FAQ

What kind of bird has no feathers?

Do all birds have feathers?

Do all birds have down feathers?

Are there any non birds with feathers?