Scruffy Blackbird

[Duke of York]

During the last week or so we have had an interesting visitor to our garden.



As you might be able to see it is a Blackird although it appears a bit the worst for wear (althought not as unkept as Bob Geldof )

We have named him/her Scruffy.

Despite his/her appearance it seems to have no other problems and runs/hops across our garden with all the other Blackbirds

We were wondering if the scruffiness is just caused by a hard time on the nest or is there actually something wrong

[mrs fish]

It's a her, I expect she has had a hard time feeding her youngsters and hasn't had much time for preening

[Madelinew]

I've noticed the blackbirds and blue tits are starting to get scruffier as the season develops. They definitely have their work cut out feeding those babies.

[Duke of York]

The only thing is, if she has been bringing up her chicks she certainly has not been feeding them during the last week we have noticed her.

Isn't it a bit early for her young to have gone their own way?

But then we have seen plenty of male blackbirds feeding their young but no females. Is this a man only preserve?

[Cotham Marble]

Surely this is a picture of male given the yellow bill colour and yellow eye ring ?

What does seem odd is that there is a hint of a remanant of a gape plate - and also the bill is patchily coloured. At first I thought the bill was simply discoloured from digging, however I think this is probably a young male in the process of devoloping sexually mature plumage and colouration. It does seem improbably early for this year's brood to have developed that quickly, however if feeding has been very good, and hatching was exceptionally early it is possible that rapid maturity would kick in.

Bill colouration is dependent on a high level of carotene in the bird's diet, it is possible that if this particular bird had sustained access to a high carotene food source that maturation whould have been stimulated. May raise a question about the effects of humans providing food into the breeding seasons ?

Some birds will be undergoing a moult having got their first brood out of the nest which probably explains a generally dowdy look amongst the early nesters.

CM

[kshotton45]

As posted by Madelinew, I too, have noticed a number of very scruffy Blue Tits. I have a couple of photographs, but am unable at the moment to post them. considering the amount of time spent feeding the chicks I'm not surprised that they're scruffy !

[kshotton45]

Here's the photo of the blue tit as mentioned in my previous post. This is my first upload - I may have got the image size a tad too big !!
I'll try harder next time.

[Madelinew]

Fabulous picture! Looks very similar to a few visitors in my garden at the moment. Has anyone noticed that the starlings seem to manage to continue to look pristine?

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Madelinew

Fabulous picture! Looks very similar to a few visitors in my garden at the moment. Has anyone noticed that the starlings seem to manage to continue to look pristine?

Always??




Not up to Gallery standards, but I think it makes an amusing image!!

[John]

Originally Posted by glsammy

Always??




Not up to Gallery standards, but I think it makes an amusing image!!

Brilliant Graham. A show stopper.

John