Rare red and white cardinals spotted in central Texas

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cardinals are known for their bright red feathers – so you’ve probably never seen one that looks like this before.

But keep your eyes peeled, because the unusual-looking characters have been spotted in parts of central Texas, according to the Inland Bird Banding Association (IBBA).

Photos posted by the IBBA on Facebook show how half of the bird’s body is covered in red feathers, while the other side of its body has white feathers.

The IBBA says this is most likely due to an abnormality called bilateral gynandromorphism.

Essentially, this makes it half-male and half-female – it has male plumage on one side and female on the other, and has both an ovary and a testis.