7 replies to this topic

[JimUSNY]

This female pileated has been coming to the suet and nuggets since her mom brought her around soon after she fledged this spring, today I was working on the gutters and I saw her coming, I didnt pay much attention but when I was done and I saw her still there, her wing was drooped and I saw some blood on the underside of her wing, I was thinking she broke a wing, got the binoculars out and notice her left leg was busted right up near her body, and she was hanging on with just one foot, she flys fine, and lands on tree trunks but has to hop to move up.. do you think she can make it with just one leg? I would think other birds might, but woodpeckers depending on hanging on to trees? I couldnt bear to take a pic of her today like that, I feel really bad, its the first regular pileated we have had at the feeders every day, and come to think of her as part of the yard.. not sure if capturing it is possible or if they could even do anything about it?

[Benjamin DeHaven]

I assume the picture is of another pileated?

I am certainly no expert on the subject, but if it can survive a little while I think it might make it. It will obviously have to adapt to the new situation, but the leg that is used will grow stronger and stronger. Don't forget how woodpeckers use their tails as extra support, I image it spreading the tail a bit more to stabilize things. So my uneducated guess is if it can make it through the next week or two (and the other leg may heal, not sure) it will be ok (assuming it can fly, you spoke of a drooping wing and not sure if you intended to convey injury or just position). Worst case, if you find it too weak to fly and in your yard (on the ground) you can scoop it up and get it to a rehabber and it will live a great life.

Benjamin

[creeker]

I don't see that bird surviving. The extra energy expenditure required to compensate for that injury will be too great to overcome, especially as the weather gets colder and food gets scarcer. Maybe you could set up some kind of platform feeder with suet, that would help this one out.

[JimUSNY]

I assume the picture is of another pileated?

I am certainly no expert on the subject, but if it can survive a little while I think it might make it. It will obviously have to adapt to the new situation, but the leg that is used will grow stronger and stronger. Don't forget how woodpeckers use their tails as extra support, I image it spreading the tail a bit more to stabilize things. So my uneducated guess is if it can make it through the next week or two (and the other leg may heal, not sure) it will be ok (assuming it can fly, you spoke of a drooping wing and not sure if you intended to convey injury or just position). Worst case, if you find it too weak to fly and in your yard (on the ground) you can scoop it up and get it to a rehabber and it will live a great life.

Benjamin

that is a pic of her from last week, the wing was drooped I think because she was using it for extra support.. it was definitely the leg and not a wing injury.. she came to the feeder more today than usual after I first noticed it., so we will keep feeding her as long as she can make it.. she flys fine and still lands on a tree trunk near the feeder with the one leg.. I am not sure what happened to her, but she still flys off, so if she does drop I doubt it will be where I will see her.. its very sad, she wasn't afraid of me at all as long as I didn't go towards her I could walk within 20 or 30 feet of her while she was eating.. Im hoping she makes it.. it had to happen today as I think she was fine early this AM.. dont think it was a hawk that could do that, maybe she landed badly

[IndigoBunting]

Aw, thats so sad... hope she makes it. At my cottage I descovered that there were there Pileated Woodpeckers living at a pathway off an abandoned golf course that someone was building. I saw one very early in the summer... right at the beggining of summer vacation on a tree at my cottage... very cool birds.


I just wish that the Ivory Billed wasnt exticinct because they are very pretty.. do any of you guys believe that it still egsists?

[Sgtmac1]

Aw, thats so sad... hope she makes it. At my cottage I descovered that there were there Pileated Woodpeckers living at a pathway off an abandoned golf course that someone was building. I saw one very early in the summer... right at the beggining of summer vacation on a tree at my cottage... very cool birds.


I just wish that the Ivory Billed wasnt exticinct because they are very pretty.. do any of you guys believe that it still egsists?

I'm from Washington Sate where we have Sasquatch, so I guess anything is possible. I met a fellow up here last spring that had been down south looking Ivory Billed Woodpeckers. Needless to say, he didn't have any pictures. And before anyone asks, "No, I don't have pictures of Sasquatch". Mac.

[Bigfoot]

I'm from Washington Sate where we have Sasquatch, so I guess anything is possible. I met a fellow up here last spring that had been down south looking Ivory Billed Woodpeckers. Needless to say, he didn't have any pictures. And before anyone asks, "No, I don't have pictures of Sasquatch". Mac.

Good

Bigfoot

[cestma]

So you think now the blood on the wing was just from the leg injury? That both wings are OK? I can see her using her wing as extra support--my one-legged crow does the same at times. Perhaps with two good wings her chances of survival are somewhat better. You are wise not to try to get too close--the last thing she needs is more stress, as you obviously know.

High energy foods from your feeder would certainly seem helpful, too.

She may be more vulnerable to predation...but that might be preferable to starvation, if it came down to one or another.

Life in the wild is tough.