Hi everyone just joined the site today but I have checked the site for details on birds over the last few years.
I was checking on magpies today as our magpie is losing feathers from top of her head, she can’t fly as she has no tail feathers but manages to ‘bounce’ about and sits outside our window off and on all day. We know she has been attacked by other magpies which has resulted in her losing her tail feathers, there are a few new feathers now growing through and we are hoping she will eventually fly. Our window has a mirror effect and although we can see out clearly it isn’t possible to look in from outside which is how we can watch her. She has been coming to us since the start of lockdown and was in a very sorry state but she is getting stronger and she has some very long ‘hops and bounces’ now although she still disappears if we are outdoors. We think she feels safe here as we knock on the window if any large birds (pigeons or magpies) come near and she doesn’t move, just sits on the back of the bench at the window when the others birds are chased away. We have a special food area for her so it’s easy to reach the food but this morning she tried to jump up for the suet balls close by - not quite reaching but she tries hard.
What we would like to know is if she will eventually fly again and will the feathers on her head regrow. She manages to hop up high enough onto fences and walls so she gets onto the garage roof to attempt to fly but only glides.
I was checking on magpies today as our magpie is losing feathers from top of her head, she can’t fly as she has no tail feathers but manages to ‘bounce’ about and sits outside our window off and on all day. We know she has been attacked by other magpies which has resulted in her losing her tail feathers, there are a few new feathers now growing through and we are hoping she will eventually fly. Our window has a mirror effect and although we can see out clearly it isn’t possible to look in from outside which is how we can watch her. She has been coming to us since the start of lockdown and was in a very sorry state but she is getting stronger and she has some very long ‘hops and bounces’ now although she still disappears if we are outdoors. We think she feels safe here as we knock on the window if any large birds (pigeons or magpies) come near and she doesn’t move, just sits on the back of the bench at the window when the others birds are chased away. We have a special food area for her so it’s easy to reach the food but this morning she tried to jump up for the suet balls close by - not quite reaching but she tries hard.
What we would like to know is if she will eventually fly again and will the feathers on her head regrow. She manages to hop up high enough onto fences and walls so she gets onto the garage roof to attempt to fly but only glides.
