I saw a male blackbird, completely without tail feathers, seemingly hopping around happily and feeding on the lawn.
Didn't actually see it fly off but I imagine its able to cope with that.
I wondered if it might be a genetic defect or a lucky escape from a predator ?
I had a tailless blackbird all year last year, he worked so hard feeding babies all season and by the end of it he was a poor bedraggled thing. Early this year I though I saw him but then there was nothing ....until an hour ago! He's back, still tailless and I'm sure it's the same one, he isn't afraid of me and knew exactly where to find the secret raisin stash. maybe their tails get ripped out out the base and never grow back.
July last year
http://i59.tinypic.com/255jkt2.jpg
Thanks for the pic Robinia
Thats just like the one that I saw, at first glance, I thought it was a starling with a short stubby tail like they have.
b t w nice colourful flowers!
Ah, that answers why I had a female blackbird down to=day. she was going mad pulling on her tail feathers! I thought she may have been attacked as her tail feathers trailed uselessly on the ground but she hopped an flew perfectly and has her nest very close by.