He is just inot Peckiish somehow

[rutineli]

I have a mature male blackbird frequenting my garden. He apparently has a mate and is otherwise healthy except that his beak is broken and hanging off to one side.

He manages to feed himself but displays far less caution than the others in order to be the first in the queue for any food that might be available.

Do beaks re-grow like claws and talons?? Is he doomed to eventually starve or be severely harassed by a rival ? Does anyone else have experience or knowledge of a similar situation and the eventual outcome?

rutineli 01/05/06

[Cetti]

A friend of mine had one like yours rutineli. I've been searching for the photo he sent hoping to show you but sadly cannot locate it.

This Blackie was around for two years with just half a beak coming each day for food as he found it quite difficult to forage for himself. He also had a family so obviously his 'wife' didn't find him unattractive but then birds don't see things as we do - thankfully.

To answer your last question no, as far as I know the beak or claw is not able to re-grow, and generally a bird with an unusual characteristic does not suffer any harassment - bearing in mind all birds live with danger every day the outcome for your Blackie is pretty good.

[rutineli]

Thanks for that cetti. He is becoming a bit of a pal and it is nice to know that he might well be around for a while, - rutineli