While trimming back some salmonberries than were overgrowing the garden
path, I noticed a fledgling robin on the ground nearby. As I
continued working and moved ever closer, I noticed it did not move away
and seemed quite oblivious to my presence. From a distance this bird
seemed alert and healthy in every way except that its tail was a bit
tattered, and maybe it was a bit young to be out of the nest. Upon
closer inspection I was shocked to observe that this bird had no eyes,
only small indentations in its plumage where its eyes would normally be.
It sat there cocking its head from side to side as you would expect a
robin to do, and seemed to be snapping at bugs as they buzzed by. I can
only assume it was being fed by a parent although I did not observe
this.

Would this be the result of a defect at the embryonic level or more
likely caused by disease or ectoparasitism after hatching ?

This had to be one of the saddest things Ive ever seen in the world of
wild birds.

Stan Kostka Arlington