Anatomy 9 - Crowns and Crests

I'm pausing over this title, tilting a cautious ear to misinterpretation as a glorification of monarchy, or to its ghoulish opposite, regicide. Yes, my title does point toward nobility and toward exceptionalism. But I contend that all birds are exceptional, despite the fact that this undermines the force of the word. So let's limit our survey to the feathered features atop a bird's head.

Northern Cardinal

The Cardinal exemplifies prominence in its ornate plumage as well as in its crest. Its name invokes the meaning of 'primary' ‒ and of high-ranking red-robed prelates. 

A Cardinals usually carries its crest in an elegant if restrained triangle. Excitement of one sort or another can result in dramatic license like the one above with crown feathers matching its treetop aria. In other situations it nearly flattens the display for practical, territorial, or conceivably emotional reasons. Might there be an analogy with the tail of a dog?

Snowy Egret

One of our local birds inspired a fashion headpiece with fatal consequences to itself: the aigrette, an ornamental tuft of upright plumes, especially those of an egret.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Many other members of the wading clan sport ostentatious plumes from their crowns.

Belted Kingfisher

Our Kingfisher might as justifiably be named for the silhouette above its head as for the simple white line below it.

Great Crested Flycatcher

On the other hand the name of this flycatcher exaggerates its rather modest crest.

Tufted Titmouse

The diminutive Titmouse more fully deserves its nomenclatural notice .

Blue Jay

The Blue Jay is never shy about calling attention to its conspicuous appearance.

Cedar Waxwing

A solitary Cedar Waxwing usually holds its crest strikingly upright.

However, as with many crest-endowed birds, it can alter the display according to mood and circumstance.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglets keep their head jewel covered by overlapping gray plumage unless excited by combat or courtship.

Golden-crowned Kinglet, relaxed...

...and startled

Golden-crowned Kinglets, on the other hand, commonly show their yellow decor and uncommonly reveal an underlying red blaze.

Double-crested Cormorant

Plumes appear only during the breeding season on the sides rather than the top of the crown of the Double-crested Cormorant.

Red-breasted Merganser pair

In the courtship dramas now playing out in Folly Cove we observers bring our own story lines to the fabulous crowns and crests of the mergansers. To whatever extent our interpretations are real or imagined, we can only hope they are as glamorous to the birds as they are to ourselves.