Name of hairless vulture-like bird sparks online debate

Singapore – The specie of a hairless bird spotted in Singapore sparked an online debate, with netizens hinting it was a mini vulture.

“Does anyone know what kind of bird this is?” asked Facebook page Singapore Wildlife Sightings member Muhd Nasrullah on Saturday (Feb 5).

Attached with his post was a bird with a yellow head and brown feathers.

The bird stood behind a wheel and beside some sewer grills indicating its small size.

With over 127 comments to date, members from the online community provided various answers to the question posed by Mr Muhd.

Some said it was a yellow-headed vulture or a miniature vulture, while others said a bald eagle.

Netizens also took the time to poke fun at the sighting, noting the bird used the “wrong shampoo and consumed too much salt,” hence the balding.

“Mom was right…eating too much instant noodles will cause baldness,” another netizen quipped.

On a more serious note, the actual name of the bird was revealed by Facebook user Sng Lh who said it was a common mynah that lost its head feathers.

“There is very little research on why the common mynah lost its head feathers, hence it is something that is poorly understood by all. This loss of head feathers is not observed in Javan Mynahs or other birds, where they share the same diet,” said the netizen.

“The actual reasons for the balding of the common mynah are not fully understood, but it’s most likely the moulting of the juvenile when it reaches an adult stage,” added Facebook user James Tann.

Another netizen confirmed the moulting occurrence and posted a photo of a mynah in the process of losing its dark head feathers, revealing yellow skin underneath./TISG

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