Tail-less Magpie

[hartleyhen]

Hi everyone - just registered today as mad about birds but very little knowledge so hoping to learn lots on here.
We have a large garden and live in semi rural area of NW Kent and get quite a nice mix of birds into the garden. Just recently one of the many magpies hopped in, literally, as he has no tail feathers. Poor thing, I normally frown when they appear as they scoff all the food in seconds but I couldn't help but feel sorry for this chap bobbing along. He can fly but is obviously struggling to gain height very quickly.
Will his feathers regrow?

[Dogghound]

Yes the feathers should quickly regrow. Perhaps had a brush with a cat or other predator and has lost the tail to escape.

Welcome to WAB

[hartleyhen]

Thanks - I'm pleased for him, even tho they are a bit of a nuisance at times. I keep looking out in case the sparrow hawk swoops. Not sure if he would take a magpie as they are quite big but he has taken many a grey collared dove (I think thats what they are)and I find that very upsetting as he always strips them in my garden. Why can't they just take the rats and mice? seems almost cannibalism eating another bird.

[Dogghound]

Yes sparrowhawks (particularly larger females) will take magpies. Sparrowhawks are adapted to feed on other birds and very rarely take small mammals unlike species like kestrels. Sparrowhawks need to feed too and predators feeding on prey is all part of a natural balanced ecosystem. It is important for the overall health of the prey population that they are hunted as it maintains a fit and healthy breeding population, as strange as it sounds.

[faz]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Yes sparrowhawks (particularly larger females) will take magpies. Sparrowhawks are adapted to feed on other birds and very rarely take small mammals unlike species like kestrels. Sparrowhawks need to feed too and predators feeding on prey is all part of a natural balanced ecosystem. It is important for the overall health of the prey population that they are hunted as it maintains a fit and healthy breeding population, as strange as it sounds.

well said dan

[Acipiter]

I am afraid its just part of natures balance as others have said, as you learn more about birds,you will find birds of prey are not the only birds that will kill and take other birds. Your magpie being just one.

[hartleyhen]

Oh I do know about how birds and any animal in the wild needs to hunt and kill to survive and accept that is the way of the world. It was just a bit upsetting as I had the younger of my two grandsons here on one occasion a sparrow hawk swooped and caught up a dove and stripped and devoured it right in front of the living room window. Of course I tried everything to distract him away from seeing what wa going on but it was too late by the time I realised what had happened he had seen enough.
He was really upset despite my trying to explain things to him and said he hated birds. I have always encouraged them to feed the birds and enrolled them into the junior RSPB etc but now he wont get involved at all.

I'm sure he will get over it and I'm doing my best to keep up their interest in all wildlife because it was a subject much neglected in my schooling and younger years sadly.

Magpie (Bobby) Is doing well and I think I can see a bit of growth. He feeds 2 or 3 times a day at the moment. I haven't seen any other magpies for a while though, not too sure where they have disappeared to.

[Billabong Karen]

Originally Posted by hartleyhen

Oh I do know about how birds and any animal in the wild needs to hunt and kill to survive and accept that is the way of the world. It was just a bit upsetting as I had the younger of my two grandsons here on one occasion a sparrow hawk swooped and caught up a dove and stripped and devoured it right in front of the living room window. Of course I tried everything to distract him away from seeing what wa going on but it was too late by the time I realised what had happened he had seen enough.
He was really upset despite my trying to explain things to him and said he hated birds. I have always encouraged them to feed the birds and enrolled them into the junior RSPB etc but now he wont get involved at all.

I'm sure he will get over it and I'm doing my best to keep up their interest in all wildlife because it was a subject much neglected in my schooling and younger years sadly.

Magpie (Bobby) Is doing well and I think I can see a bit of growth. He feeds 2 or 3 times a day at the moment. I haven't seen any other magpies for a while though, not too sure where they have disappeared to.

That's a real shame about your grandson. I think it is often quite good for children to see what nature is all about - it may be somewhat upsetting, but protecting them from the truth beyond a certain point is dangerous, I think. It is really important children realize that death is a part of life, and that there is a food chain - and that we are at the top of that! It horrifies me that many people really dont seem to realize that hamburgers are made from real live animals, for instance. So many people are unable to gut or pluck a chicken - but will happily buy it nicely sanitised in a plastic container, unaware of the terrible conditions that bird endured while alive. OK, I'm getting a bit off topic here, but all I meant was that with careful explanations I am sure your grandson will come to realize that the death of the dove was just all part of the greater scheme of things, and that the sparrowhawk was not the villain!

[hartleyhen]

I couldn't agree more and as a newcomer on here I hope I'm not jumping to all the wrong conclusions but I'm beginning to feel a bit pre-judged by some of the comments.
Let me assure you that as a 60 something I am of that generation who know only too well about the food chain as well as having farming blood in my veins. I have seen animals slaughtered on the farm in the days before you had to take them to authorised slaughter houses. I am a novice only when it comes to identifying wild birds, knowing their migration patterns, and recognising their sounds. I hope that in most other aspects of life I am fairly well experienced.
My grandson was only about 5 years old at the time but it must have left a horrible memory for him because now aged 10 he is still a bit wary when anything larger than a thrush arrives in the garden and often goes indoors and shows no interest in all my efforts to hang feeders etc. He is getting better but I am sorry he had to see the gory details at such a young age.