Northern Cardinals are known for their iconic red feathers, yet that scarlet hue is actually derived from yellow pigments in their food. Most cardinals’ bodies transform those yellow pigments into their signature shade of red, but some lack this ability — resulting in a bright yellow bird. House Finches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and other notably red species can also develop an unexpectedly golden complexion. So keep an eye out for all the shades of variation in well-known birds.

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. 

Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. 

BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.