Bird people - Do tail feathers grow back?
 

What a day. Found a grackle in my yard. Appears a cat got to it. Bird was grounded, but could hop. I found lots of feathers, including tail feathers in my side yard. They were definitely grackle feathers. I took the puppy for a walk and checked on the bird, when I got home. He wasn't looking so good. I couldn't let him die like that, so I wrapped him in a towel and brought him in the house. As he warmed up, he started to get more perky.

I called my vet office and was told to contact our local wildlife rehabilitator. She told me to bring her the bird. I did. He was alive when I got him there. Thinking it's good that grackles have long tails, as that's where the damage seemed to be. I didn't want to stress him by examining him too closely, so left that up to the professional.

So will his tail feathers grow back, and would loosing the tail feathers inhibit his ability to fly? I hope he makes it.

Had no idea what a grackle was, I had to google it, haha. Regardless, birds molt twice yearly, and as long as the actual muscle of the tail isnt damaged, the tail feathers should start to slowly (but surely) regenerate.

Yep. They shed (molt?) their feathers regularly, I always find my cockatiels feathers everywhere. So they are always growing more. He's had feathers ripped out, and they've always came back.

Oh thanks guys. I know my family thinks I'm the crazy bird lady. Yes, grackles are those really shiny black birds with the long tails and beaks and yellow eyes. Since grackles are not an especially high strung bird, I'm hoping that helps him to recover. i know he will get antibiotics, though I hope the cat missed getting his claws or teeth into him. I'm glad to hear the feathers should grow back. I was told I could call to check on him, but I'm kind of afraid to. I hate bad news.

Hope he recovers! Did he seem to have any wounds? It sounds like the cat just got mostly feathers...

How awesome of you to save his life. He would have died for sure if you didnt help him! :) Im the same way though...I rescued a baby dove who fell from the nest when I was younger, took him in, and took care of him until he was full grown, and then one day...let him fly away. It was awesome. He would have been preyed on for sure..

Katie, I didn't get a good look at his rear. I tossed a dish towel over him, so I could pick him up. I had his head out, but the rest was wrapped. At first he didn't move at all. I held him close to me. I thought he was going to die. I carried him into the house and called the vet. By the time I called the rehabber, he starting to squirm. I put him in a big shoe box and drove him about 45 minutes away. I could hear him moving in the box. He was active enough when I got him there, that the rehabber opted to not open the box, until she had him inside her house.

Awesome that you were able to save the baby dove. Our laws now are that we have to take wildlife to someone who is licensed to care for them. I don't know if that is different from state to state. In the grackles' case it was best, because I would not know how to treat him.

Thank you again for the information.

Well, him moving is a good sign! He might have just been in shock when you first found him. I am not too sure about the wildlife laws here, im assuming its the same, but back then I was younger (like 13 or 14) and didnt know better! But yes, in the grackles case, you did the best thing for him. WAY more than most would do!

SIGH! I checked on my grackle today. He didn't make it. I am sad, but glad he died in the care of someone kind and not alone on the cold ground.

Sorry to hear about the bird. At least you tried. That's what matters! :)

Rats. Sometimes birds won't recover just because of stress. At least you tried.

I went with my husband off shore fishing. We got up at the crack of dawn, got on the water before it was even light. He went to one of the shrimp boats and purchased bait. The sun was just coming up by the time we headed out.

As we were making our way through the shrimp boats I saw something bobbing in the water. I talked hubby into checking it out. It was a seagull with an obvious broken wing.

Long story short, we never even baited a hook. We brought the bird to a wildlife rehabber. She said that the broken wing wasn't her main concern. It was stress for the bird.

We checked back a few days later and she said the bird was doing fine. I hope it ended up back on the bay.