I own a little shop in Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast. Over the last year we have been feeding birds on our doorstep.
I have noticed several Wagtails and Rock Pipits with only one foot or with severe damage to one of their feet. In fact, today, not one of the birds on my doorstep has had the full complement of feet!
Whatever is causing this?
hi Rikey
You havn't been slamming the door on them have you lol.
Seriously just don't know any chance of a photo
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
No, no door slamming I promise.
Here's a photo of one of them.
Rikey
Hi Rikey
First welcome to the site. I see yoyr from "The French Lieutenant’s Woman" area. Given this I see they now have new floating platforms in the harbour. I was just wondering if these banging together or the fishing line/nets have anything to do with it.
Robert
Hi it could be that the bird had some fishing line caught on it and slowly the foot has died and then dropped off. this happens a lot with sea birds. Alan
i say always look on the bright side of life, as you cannot see anything on the other ?
My suggestion would be that with the recent spate of freezing temperatures that some birds could have got frost bite in their feet and then they fell off afterwards. I know that some birds are susceptibble to frost bite when roosting on anything metal or at really cold temperatures.
Hi again
Rock pipits and wagtails could be visiting the same feeding areas on the rocks or beach suggest a walk on the beach see if you can see anything
this has been talked about before re why birds feet dont freeze, more likely fishing line.
Thank you all so much for your help. It really is distressing seeing so many of them with missing feet. It's by far the majority of birds that visit us. Is there anything I can do to help prevent it? Raising awareness? Beach combing for lines?
Hi rikey i agree it is distresing if you can find the address of your local angling clubs and write or the local paper it all helps Alan