bald

[mia0815]

'Several buzzards sat on the dipper bucket. Once I noticed the birds I started to see them everywhere: one was slim-winged on one of the crane's ladders. One was eating a squirrel on the hull, There was something canny and bald about their attention, their tiny wet eyes.'

from Swamplandia! (a novel)

I can't really grasp what 'bald' means here.
Please help. Thank you.

 

[exgerman]

In the dictionary:

3 (of language) plain; blunt.

In this case, it's not the buzzards' language, but their gaze that is blunt and unambiguous.

 

[mia0815]

Ah, their gaze! Thank you.

 

[exgerman]

I should have added: Since this is Swamplandia, the author probably chose the word because of its other associations. The heads of buzzards are bald (i.e. featherless).

 

[mia0815]

Yes, indeed. Thank you too.