Blue Tit with Overgrown Upper and Lower Mandible

Linda257 21/02/2022 17:55

On 1st glance I thought this wee one was collecting nesting material until I got the camera for a closer look.

Poor wee BT

He looked in good health otherwise ......

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)

DB_Fife 21/02/2022 19:37

Poor thing. How does it pick up food?
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Zo Clark 21/02/2022 19:40

Iv heard of things like overgrown beaks. When birds get them it can make it hard to eat and things like that sometimes
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Linda257 21/02/2022 19:44 in reply to DB_Fife

It seemed to do OK actually or maybe it was cos there was a wee mound of sunflower hearts. Must feed fine if its lasted this long for its beak to be this overgrown . I've reported it to the BTO

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
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Catlady 21/02/2022 19:47

Oh my poor wee thing, I wonder how it will manage to eat, it looks okay though so must be able to manage somehow. Hazel had photos of a Blue Tit as well I think, that she posted here, it did well but the mandibles were nowhere near the length of your fellows, hope it will be okay.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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Linda257 21/02/2022 19:54 in reply to Catlady

I was just doing a quick search there CL and founds Hazel's from 5yrs ago..as you say no where near the length of mine. I will need to keep the swing feeder topped up for the wee one.

Hazels post:

community.rspb.org.uk/.../blue-tit-with-overgrown-upper-mandible-plus-other-birds-and-squirrels

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
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gaynorsl 21/02/2022 20:47

That is a very distorted beak, amazing how it has managed to feed. I did have a blackbird visiting for years with a crossed beak, he managed to bring up numerous youngsters too, you would never think it possible. Haven't a pic on hand but if I find one I might put it up sometime.

Lot to learn
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Linda257 21/02/2022 21:41 in reply to gaynorsl

It sure is Gaynor....wow even raised a family... oh you gotta post me some pics ;)

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gaynorsl 21/02/2022 22:16

I would if I could find them Linda, only they seem to be on the other pc which has to be wired in before I can use it!!!! I had thought all my old photos were on a hard drive safely put away but it seems they have stayed on previous pc, doh, you can tell I don't know what I am doing.

Lot to learn
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Mike B 22/02/2022 09:59

Poor wee thing. Its done well to get this far, and it is amazing how nature manages to move on with such abnormalities!

I fear nature will take charge unless someone can catch the blue tit and trim the mandible.

I raised a similar post a couple of years back about a coal tit, but nowhere near as bad as that; "Coal Tit with crossed over beak!"

https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/wildlife-questions/207056/coal-tit-with-crossed-over-beak

Also mentioned in there is a link from Hazel to report sightings like that. The link is :https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/about/background/projects/bgbw

Incidentally, we still see coal tits with crossed mandibles, and often two or three at a time, so it could be a genetic mutation here. But they seem healthy enough, and get on with the daily business of feeding and surviving.

Mike

Flickr: Peak Rambler
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Linda257 22/02/2022 11:17 in reply to Mike B

Already reported it yesterday Mike. Yeah a remember your post...seems its not that uncommon...poor wee birdies

(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
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