Resumen

MEDINA-LARA, Zulema Verónica; GOMEZ-MORENO, Vannia del Carmen  y  NINO-MALDONADO, Santiago. Beak malformation in a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Huitzil [online]. 2025, vol.26, n.1, e681.  Epub 01-Ago-2025. ISSN 1870-7459.  https://doi.org/10.28947/hrmo.2025.26.1.781.

Malformations in wild birds are uncommon, and sightings are rare and understudied. In Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico, we documented a Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) with a marked malformation in the upper mandible of its beak. To obtain morphological data and identify additional individuals with malformations, we conducted mist-net sampling, accumulating 32 net-hours of effort. We captured 19 individuals and took measurements of their beaks (upper and lower), total body length, and weight. The results revealed that the individual with the malformation had a lower weight and shorter total body length compared to individuals with normal beaks. This suggests that the beak malformation affected its development, likely due to difficulties performing feeding activities. This highlights the importance of gathering information on malformations in wild birds to identify their possible causes and better understand the ecological and evolutionary implications of these occurrences.

Palabras llave : Cardinalidae; deformity; morphology; pathology.

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