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The Robin and the Car. A Story. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Chickadeedeedee
- Start date
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
Hi Bill.
Do you know where tail feathers come as far as replacement at molting? Gosh darn! There's not much to replace but those butt feathers! He gains very little altitude without his tail. I *hope* he's not a prisioner all winter because of this!
He still gets his berries, cherries, grapes, worms .... He still sings ....
Do you know where tail feathers come as far as replacement at molting? Gosh darn! There's not much to replace but those butt feathers! He gains very little altitude without his tail. I *hope* he's not a prisioner all winter because of this!
He still gets his berries, cherries, grapes, worms .... He still sings ....
~*~*~*sigh*~*~*~
Hi Lydia,
As I said before, I don't have specific data for Barrie, but I can tell you for our Blackbird Turdus merula. Tail feathers are usually moulted in sequence starting from the central ones at the same time as the Primaries, which are descendant (that is starting with p1 to p9-10 after 66-87 days; depends on area/climate). So tail feather regrowth should be complete at the same time as primaries.
Don't know why your lad isn't doing that but of course his tail-feather loss was trauma rather than natural, and all at once rather than sequential. Which, according to the book, should have meant a start to re-growth BEFORE the moult. Whether that would mean starting from the central feathers I don't know but would imagine so. Unless the removal caused follicle damage I don't know why they aren't regrowing.
I ocassionally see 'tailess' Blackbirds in the garden but I never know whether they regrow normally or whether they just disappear. Here's a photo of one taken in June a couple of years ago and he looks as though he has moulted some of his primaries and some head feathers. This state doesn't match what I wrote above (from the book) in that ALL the tail-feathers are gone; and it seems a bit early. Whether this was trauma and whether he refeathered I'll never know.
Sorry I can't help more,
Bill
As I said before, I don't have specific data for Barrie, but I can tell you for our Blackbird Turdus merula. Tail feathers are usually moulted in sequence starting from the central ones at the same time as the Primaries, which are descendant (that is starting with p1 to p9-10 after 66-87 days; depends on area/climate). So tail feather regrowth should be complete at the same time as primaries.
Don't know why your lad isn't doing that but of course his tail-feather loss was trauma rather than natural, and all at once rather than sequential. Which, according to the book, should have meant a start to re-growth BEFORE the moult. Whether that would mean starting from the central feathers I don't know but would imagine so. Unless the removal caused follicle damage I don't know why they aren't regrowing.
I ocassionally see 'tailess' Blackbirds in the garden but I never know whether they regrow normally or whether they just disappear. Here's a photo of one taken in June a couple of years ago and he looks as though he has moulted some of his primaries and some head feathers. This state doesn't match what I wrote above (from the book) in that ALL the tail-feathers are gone; and it seems a bit early. Whether this was trauma and whether he refeathered I'll never know.
Sorry I can't help more,
Bill
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Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
Oh My God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:t:
:t:
I caught Barry not 5 minutes ago and ... Our dearest Barry has his tail feathers growing back in!!!!!!!!!!! :-O
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I honestly have tears of joy streaming down my face as I type this!!!!!! :t:
Will they be back in time for an Autumn release? I don't know but ...... at least we now know Barry will eventually be homeward / wild-ish bound! :t:
Last edited:
hi Lydia
Just caught up with this long saga about Barry. What a lovely little story. :-O
What a plucky little bird to escape death as he has done so. You have such patience and a lot of kindness in you to help him out through a difficult time.
He has been through the wars, and he has come out of it intact with his newly forming tail!
So pleased to hear all happy events unfold, one by one.
I wonder if Barry will be a visitor to your house in the future?
Kathy
x
bill moss;1274423 I ocassionally see 'tailess' Blackbirds in the garden but I never know whether they regrow normally or whether they just disappear. Here's a photo of one taken in June a couple of years ago and he looks as though he has moulted some of his primaries and some head feathers. Bill[/QUOTE said:
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
Hi Baz.
I don't suppose you'd advise giving Barry's tail a ~little tug~ to get them out faster? :'D
Kidding! Just kidding! :eek!:
I don't suppose you'd advise giving Barry's tail a ~little tug~ to get them out faster? :'D
Kidding! Just kidding! :eek!:
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
Hi Bill.
How have you been? Well I hope!
Our Swifts left sometime LAST month. They didn't even say "Good-bye!" There was just the one Swift who crashed into the window in the basement this spring.
Our Barry-boy doesn't seem distressed about being here ... unless I'm trying to catch him to photograph his rump. He seems very content at our Birdy Bed and Breakfast. I'm more concerned about him being able to leave before it gets too cold. Some migrate south and some don't but either way it would be nice for him to have a good time to adjust to freedom again.
Since he isn't overly anxious to leave we'll see how quickly his feathers come in and take it from there. We certainly won't attempt to rush a release and have him in trouble again. We'll try to do what is in his best interest and safety. We never celebrated Christmas with a Robin. Maybe this year .......... ?
But ... at least we KNOW he will one day go free. The time is up to him and God. They know what is best for our dear long time guest.
Lydia
How have you been? Well I hope!
Our Swifts left sometime LAST month. They didn't even say "Good-bye!" There was just the one Swift who crashed into the window in the basement this spring.
Our Barry-boy doesn't seem distressed about being here ... unless I'm trying to catch him to photograph his rump. He seems very content at our Birdy Bed and Breakfast. I'm more concerned about him being able to leave before it gets too cold. Some migrate south and some don't but either way it would be nice for him to have a good time to adjust to freedom again.
Since he isn't overly anxious to leave we'll see how quickly his feathers come in and take it from there. We certainly won't attempt to rush a release and have him in trouble again. We'll try to do what is in his best interest and safety. We never celebrated Christmas with a Robin. Maybe this year .......... ?
But ... at least we KNOW he will one day go free. The time is up to him and God. They know what is best for our dear long time guest.
Lydia
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
The Barry Update
Barry is doing great! :t: His tail is coming in *very* nicely ... but ....
He missed the boat. I spoke to the avian specialist this morning and asked if it would be better to keep Barry until spring or allow a release in a few weeks. We already knew the answer but the avian vet. confirmed it.
It would be best for Barry if he were to be our guest until spring. He's been inside since April and the nights are too cold and the weather too dreary now. It may be difficult for his body to abruptly adjust to real life conditions and he may develop pneumonia.
We've always wanted to celebrate Christmas with a Robin! :'D
I'll get some new photos of him WITH a tail and post those within a few days.
That's it from this end. :t:
Lydia
Chickadeedeedee
Well-known member
My case has gone before the Parole Board today.
I have been a model prisoner. Led an exemplary inmate life. No screaming. No banging of ration bowls. No fighting with the other inmates. Nothing.
My tail feathers were gone but it was NOT my fault! Can I help it that my manliness ... my high testosterone levels gave me temporary male rump baldness? The visits from my green other half, Olive, sufficiently suppressed the testosterone so my tail did start to re-grow.
Alas it was too little. Too late.
I have been imprisoned since April and now it is October. The Parole Board unanimously think I may not have the time to acclimate to freedom before the real Ohio weather hits. I would be susceptible to pneumonia with the cold weather and rain abruptly hitting my system after being pampered, uhh ... I mean ... kept in confinement all these months. The fear is I would immediately violate the terms of parole and I would be re-imprisoned almost immediately upon release.
There will be another Parole Board hearing in the Spring, when the skies are sunny, the winds are calm, the temperature is warmer, the relatives are abundant and the worms are nearer the surface. Until then I remain at the Birdy Bed -n- Breakfast Compound.
The worms will make a break for it tonight. I will help them get as far as they can to the door. Crawl free nightcrawler. (*FLING*) Crawl free! (*FLING!*)(*FLING!*)
The smaller human will have her hair standing on end tomorrow morning. I *love it* when she does that!
HeeeeHeeeeeHeeeeeeeeeee! Captivity isn't so bad after all.
Barry
I have been a model prisoner. Led an exemplary inmate life. No screaming. No banging of ration bowls. No fighting with the other inmates. Nothing.
My tail feathers were gone but it was NOT my fault! Can I help it that my manliness ... my high testosterone levels gave me temporary male rump baldness? The visits from my green other half, Olive, sufficiently suppressed the testosterone so my tail did start to re-grow.
Alas it was too little. Too late.
PAROLE DENIED
I have been imprisoned since April and now it is October. The Parole Board unanimously think I may not have the time to acclimate to freedom before the real Ohio weather hits. I would be susceptible to pneumonia with the cold weather and rain abruptly hitting my system after being pampered, uhh ... I mean ... kept in confinement all these months. The fear is I would immediately violate the terms of parole and I would be re-imprisoned almost immediately upon release.
There will be another Parole Board hearing in the Spring, when the skies are sunny, the winds are calm, the temperature is warmer, the relatives are abundant and the worms are nearer the surface. Until then I remain at the Birdy Bed -n- Breakfast Compound.
CRAP!
The worms will make a break for it tonight. I will help them get as far as they can to the door. Crawl free nightcrawler. (*FLING*) Crawl free! (*FLING!*)(*FLING!*)
The smaller human will have her hair standing on end tomorrow morning. I *love it* when she does that!
HeeeeHeeeeeHeeeeeeeeeee! Captivity isn't so bad after all.
Barry
