ST. LOUIS – A rare, once-in-a-lifetime sighting of a yellow cardinal was spotted while in the backyard of a St. Louis Cardinals photographer.
Taya Yanagimoto, St. Louis Cardinals director of photography, shared photos with FOX 2 on Thursday after frequently seeing the rare bird in his backyard near a bird feeder.
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
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Photo Courtesy of Taka Yanagimoto
The bright yellow cardinal is a result of a genetic mutation of the Northern Cardinals species, typically seen with iconic red feathers.
Most Northern Cardinals obtain a red, scarlet hue when yellow pigments in their food have changed the color of their complexion to red.
According to the Bird Note Organization, some Northern Cardinals, such as the cardinal in Yanagimoto’s backyard, lack the ability to transform those pigments into a shade of red and instead result in a golden complexion.
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