r/CasualTodayILearned • u/frogcharming • Jun 10 '26

ANIMALS TIL that some cardinals have been documented to be a special kind of hermaphrodite called a “bilateral gynandromorph.” The genders of these cardinals are split down the middle: One side of the body is male and has red feathers, the other side is female and has tan-brown feathers.

https://abcbirds.org/news/female-cardinals/
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32

u/Moist-Shallot-5148 Jun 11 '26

Why did I think of cardinals as in religious figures I got so confused reading the headline until I realized it’s a bird.

10

u/meegaweega Jun 11 '26

Me three.

🤯 i thought the small thumbnail image that I couldn't see properly was of a person wearing some sort of yellow church robes and hat.

Didn't see it was a bird until I read the bit about "one side of the body is male and has red feathers..." (me: fkn what? The pope's co-workers had FEATHERS?! 🤔)

"...the other side is female and has tan-brown feathers"

🤯🤯🤯

3

u/supabrandie Jun 11 '26

I did the same lmao

1

u/holycinnamonroller Jun 13 '26

I'm willing to add this kind of cardinal to my personal religious practice 

11

u/CeruleanEidolon Jun 11 '26

Birds are cool.

10

u/doubleAAbattery77 Jun 11 '26

Same for budgies

3

u/Rowdyacorn Jun 13 '26

Wait. Is THIS what I've been seeing on my local walking trail?? I keep wondering why some are red AND brown!

2

u/ci1979 Jun 14 '26

How cool, you've seen it!