Crossbilled Chestnut-backed Chickadee

[kenneth2019]

This Chickadee is coming to our feeder, and using this table for preening. Looking past the dishevelled look of the bird it seems to be in good shape. It flies to the feeder and retrieves a seed, flies into the cedars and then returns to the table crossbar and actively preens.

The table is right by the door, so I am shooting 45 degrees through the door, with lots of reflection in the window.


Chestnur-backed Chickadee by Kenneth Davis, on Flickr


Crossbilled CBCH by Kenneth Davis, on Flickr


crosbilled CBCH preening by Kenneth Davis, on Flickr

[Gord]

Poor guy that's sad to see. Certainly a bill deformity and the first I've seen on a chickadee. It must have learned how to eat to have survived.

[james]

Is this bird still coming to your feeder? I was just listening to an episode on the Science of Birds podcast about beaks and the host mentioned Avian Keratin Disorder as a beak deformity. Chickadees apparently are especially succeptible. It sounds very similar to what your pictures show. Glad that the bird you photographed could still eat and preen. I wonder if the abnormal growth continues indefinitely or stops after a while?

[kenneth2019]

I have not seen it for about a week, unless it comes back to its grooming perch I doubt I will be able to spot it. It was especially fast at hitting the feeder, retrieving a seed and flying into the cedars.