G Is For ... Garden Beak Watch

A week or so ago I noticed a Blue Tit in the garden with a deformed beak. As you can see, he is still going strong, and all things considered, he is not in that bad a shape.

I don't know if you are aware, but you can report instances of beak deformities to the British Trust for Ornithology. I will add the direct link to the bottom of this entry.

The exact causes for beak deformities is still being investigated, such things as pesticides to our habit of feeding the birds being suspected. Of course, such growths could be just genetic and inherent, which is why social science is so key. Quite literally, every little bit of data we provide may give the boffins down at BTO HQ a bit more a clue on what is behind these abnormalities.

The two most common birds affected seem to be Blue Tits and Blackbirds, but then of course, these are two of the most common birds seen in our gardens.

The two major concerns for this Blue Tit are of course feeding and cleaning. This individual seems to be having little trouble in the feeding department aas you can see from this photograph. He did seem to be using a toss and snatch approach to these pieces of seed, and the soft fat cakes and fat balls seem to be no problem for him. As for preening, he seems to be in fairly good condition. So hopefully he can continue to adapt and survive, his future may not be to bleak.

A couple of other shots from the garden for your pleasure.

Dunnock #1

Dunnock #2

Dunnock #3

Blue Tit In The Hedgerow

Please, please if you see any birds with deformed beaks report it here: Garden Beak Watch, and even better if you get a photograph, you can send it to them from the link above.