A very unique Purple Martin

Randall Duhon · Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:16 pm

I thought I would share this pic of a very unique Purple Martin. He appears to have a crown of feathers on the top of his head. Have any of you seen this before? It will be very easy to tell if he comes back next year, unless his offspring will also have crowns lol.

Guest · Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:25 pm

That is the strangest martin I have ever seen...John, Emil, Louise, Steve K.....do you have any thoughts or theories? Could this be a mutation?

Sue
City by the Sea, TX

Guest · Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:29 pm

I have seen something simular in ducks at alocal park. They were a cross between a Mallard and white domestic duck. There were 6-7 out of the same clutch. They had a pale green head, were brown like a Mallard hen, but also had white.
Don't know if this is the same or genetics or ?

Chuck

Scully · Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:39 pm

There are "crested" mutations in chickens, ducks, canaries, and at least one species of caged finch (society finch). I dunno about martins.

We did have a messy-headed, partially bald SY male in 2004 that we christened "Toshiro" on account of his samurai haircut, Toshiro raised four young in a Whistle gourd that year. He returned as an ASY in 2005 but shortly thereafter disappeared, possibly either to a Cooper's that was raiding the colony or perhaps he moved on to another colony in the area.

Toshiro's feathers on the top of his head stuck up in an irregular crown, not like the one in the photograph. I had assumed his crown was the result of some injury.

Mike Scully

Randall Duhon · Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:48 pm

I wish I had a better camera to get a closer shot. I have a Kodak 4.0 and took the pictures at the max. setting. If any of you would like I could send it to you full size where you can see it in great detail. I have about 8 pairs in my gourd rack with 6 nest with eggs. The crested martin comes and goes but has been spending more time here fighting with the other males trying to get a mate. I am trying to think of a cool name for him, any ideas?

Guest · Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:27 pm

Names from the X-Men movie series.....Wolverine since the character had tufts of hair pointing from his face....Magneto....Patrick Steward's nemesis....hmmmm

Sue
City by the Sea, TX

~Patrick~ · Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:27 pm

Randall,

I'd like to see a full sized picture. You can send to my personal e-mail below. Thanks...

Patrick

[email protected]

Guest · Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:47 am

Just crop it down to the important part and post that full size.

Ian

Matt F. · Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:16 am

The poor guy may just have a bad cowlick!

Guest · Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:31 pm

I'd call him Centurion!

http://www.aurorahistoryboutique.com/A000022.htm

Sarah Bell

Randall Duhon · Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:23 pm

Hey folks, thanks for the name suggestions but I decided to call him Elvis. Their hair styles are similar and he is becoming popular with the ladies lol

. And boy you should hear him sing lol. He is one cool Martin

.

Randall Duhon · Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:30 pm

Here are a few more pics of Elvis.

Guest · Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:45 pm

I had one 2 years ago that looked somewhat like that
But when I got a close-up of it with my video camera at a different angle I fount the bird had a large bug in it's mouth the way he was holding it
look like it was the top of his head.I think they call it a katydid
( not shure about spelling )
I am not saying this is the case of this bird.
Have you seen this bird sense then.
If so wish you could get a close of of it.

Randall Duhon · Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:11 pm

Hey Elmer, this is not a bug. I see him everyday and it appears to me to be either some extra feathers on top of his head or a growth that is covered with feathers.

I am glad to report that Elvis has found a mate and they have a very nice nest built. I did a nest check today but found no eggs yet. It will be fun to see if he will have any offspring with the same trait lol. I will keep y'all posted.

~Patrick~ · Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:38 pm

I've raised just about evey kind of bird you can think of and over the years have seen injuries with misplaced skin that will heal and still grow feathers. The result is an odd looking appendage with feathers like Elvis is exhibiting. Maybe he was injured on the head in the past, the skin healed out of place and he now sports a toupee. Just my thoughts...

Patrick

Randall Duhon · Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:54 am

Elvis with a toupee lol

. It almost looks like he had a wing feather grafted on top of his head lol. He is very easy to spot flying in the distance.

Randall Duhon · Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:18 pm

Hello everyone. Good news, Elvis and Priscilla are going to be parents. I took a look inside of the Gracland mansion today and found some eggs. I sure hope they hatch. I also found my first hatchling of the season today. I saw the mom come out the gourd with a half of a egg shell in her mouth and I knew what that meant. Good luck to everyone.

Here is a not so good close pic up of Elvis.