I have a female chaffinch that has recently come to feed in my garden. I can't see properly (definitely need to get some binoculars!), but I think she's either injured her leg or appears to have no actual foot!
Subsequently, she can't grip onto the feeders like the other birds and is pecking around on the floor. Can anyone suggest a type of food that is 'special' to the chaffinch - one that the other birds may leave alone to give her more of a chance to feed?
Thanks.
SW
Hello SW64,
Chaffinches are ground feeders and so a missing foot won't hinder her much. It sounds as though she is getting about OK from what you say. I would suggest a general purpose seed mix sometimes called table mix would be suitable for her if you want to feed something specific and you can put the food on the ground or on a ground table. The chaffinches in my garden are usually at the foot of the feeding station picking up the food dropped by the birds who use the feeders above and I imagine they pick up whatever seed they find. This is normal behaviour for a chaffinch.
There have been other threads about birds with no feet and I am sure some other folk on here will guide you to them or give more advice that I can.
Hope this helps.
SB
There is something new to learn everyday...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skylark58/
Hi,
ground feeding birds often lose a toe or two with apparently few ill effects. As long as the bird can feed it should be OK and may even breed.
S
For advice about Birding, Identification,field guides, binoculars, scopes, tripods, etc - put 'Birding Tips' into the search box
When at the Ythan last week I saw a Little ring plover with just one leg . It was doin ok for its self and keeping up with the rest of the group no problem.
Cheers
AL
If its no fun Yer no doin it right!
Hi AL. Yes, know the one - its name is Fallover the Plover!!!
Just one of my jokes lol
By the way, I think we should start calling you 'Night Owl'. What you doing up at 3.17am ??
Pipit xxx