Wednesday 21 November 2018

Short-tailed woodpecker

This woodpecker has been hanging around the feeders for the past few days.  I don't know how it happened but she has lost her tail.  She seems otherwise quite healthy but it must be quite a handicap as woodpeckers use their tail feathers as support when they sit on trees.  Flying must be tricky as well.  I think it must be the result of some sort of injury because moulting should be over by now and even then I expect tail feathers are normally moulted one at a time. The tail will probably grow back but she might have to rely on the feeders until it does.


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