Blackbird with stumpy beak

burtspieeater · #1 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 11:51 AM

Noticed a blackbird in the garden for the past few days with a short blunt stumpy beak. It cant manage to pick up seed - so sad to watch it have numerous attempts and then give up. Have put some raisins out and it has taken 2 of them - assume thats okay.
The children are sad and want me to call someone!!!!

ElwoodsGirl · #2 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 11:58 AM

Bless it ... Raisins they love ... you could also make porridge with seed mixed in ... the gloopy mixture will make it easier for him to pick up xx

valleyforge · #3 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 12:26 PM

Hi and welcome to the WAB forum.

Is there any chance you could post a photograph of this bird, so that we'd be in a better position to advise whether or not any intervention is necessary?

In the meantime, perhaps providing a bit of grated cheese (such as a mild cheddar) and/or mashed boiled potato, would also assist it in coping with feeding.

Joe662 · #4 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 12:41 PM

aww poor lil guy, always sad to see things like this. As valleyforge says, a pic would be gd to see extent of damage. But for now keep offering food out as obviously it will find eating difficult but as long as the injury isnt too severe should grow back in time.

burtspieeater · #5 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 12:43 PM

Thanks for your replies - good advice.

Will attempt to post a picture, just spotted him a minute ago but he disappeared as soon as I got the camera focused.

burtspieeater · #6 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 01:23 PM

Just taken a picture of the blackbird.
Hope this upload works. Have tried to enlarge it a little bit, looks okay on my computer but don't know how it will appear in the forum.

valleyforge · #7 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 03:05 PM

Thanks for that photo, burtspieeater ... but it's not really clear enough to determine if the beak is in fact broken, or if it is some form of growth deformity.

Does the end of the beak appear broken to you ... is the lower part of the beak slightly longer than the upper part?

If the beak is in fact fractured, I'm afraid that it probably won't heal on its own ... it would appear (from this photo at any rate) that there is possibly too much of the end part of the beak (which is composed of keratin) gone for it to regenerate.

Although prosthetics can be successfully constructed (using epoxy resin or dental acrylics for instance) they cannot be a permanent fix, and will need replacement ... so the bird would need to be kept under close protection in an aviary, probably for the remainder of its life. Blackbirds however, in particular, do tend to adapt to that kind of domesticity far better than many other garden birds.

In the meantime, apart from feeding difficulties ... which if you follow the suggestions made for foodstuffs you could provide to assist it, needn't be all that debilitating ... the greatest threat any bird with a beak injury faces, lies in it being unable to preen itself adequately.

If it is unable to maintain and condition its feathers adequately, it will soon succumb to the cold and damp ... probably sooner than it loses the ability of flight.

From the overall appearance of this bird, it seems clear that it is still in fairly good feather condition and bright of eye, so if it does have an injury, then we might conclude that it is a fairly recent occurence.

I would suggest that for now you just keep a close watch on it, and try to determine whether or not the end of the beak is definitely broken off.

If you decide that it is, and that you want to try and help it, then let us know what general part of the country you are in, and we'll try and provide some appropriate contact details of someone who might be able to provide the necessary care for it.

burtspieeater · #8 (**permalink**) 17-05-2010, 04:03 PM

Thanks for the input valley forge.
When I first saw it i got the impression it was a young bird, sort of fluffed up and hesitant. It appears more lively now but the other blackbirds don't like it, shooing it away. Possibly it was born like this. The beak doesn't look broken just short, it also seems to have difficulty swallowing. A very long thin yellow tongue appears - very odd.

Will keep a watch out for it - all the raisins have disappeared whilst I have been out. But we do have a large bird population in the garden so they must think its treat day!!