Blue Tit problem

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ghostdancer

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Name
William(friends Call Me Bill)
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Can someone help solve this,a few species of bird are showing on my local patch with the same head problem.

IMG_6879.jpg
 
Don't know how true this is but I've heard this happens quite a bit with them sticking their heads in and out of nests/nest boxes. Sounds feasible to me :)
 
Isn't it just seasonal malting ??

Atb
Cliff
 
Is that Brocton Coppice bill ? Nice capture of a bad hair day bird (y)
Atb
Cliff
 
This is what a busy breeding season does to some tits, blue and great. They raise massive broods of up to 14 (!) chicks, which is very stressful for the birds. And some lose the feathers on their heads as a result. They will grow back soon though.
 
Moulting indeed - any pristine birds around at the mo are non-breeders and juveniles; it's why things tend to quieten down July/August as the adults recover from raising young.

You may see larger birds (doves/pigeons) with feathers missing around the head as a result of a failed Sparrowhawk attack though!
 
D3S said:
Moulting indeed - any pristine birds around at the mo are non-breeders and juveniles; it's why things tend to quieten down July/August as the adults recover from raising young.

You may see larger birds (doves/pigeons) with feathers missing around the head as a result of a failed Sparrowhawk attack though!
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Could do with a few more successful sparrowhawk attacks around here. Too many flying rats about for my liking.
 
I still disagree. I had 3 blue tits and one great tit like that around my feeders in early June while they were feeding young (and definitely not moulting). The rest of the plumage is in good condition, as you can see in the photo. Moulting birds look scruffy all over. The bald head is caused by stress and the feathers take quite a while to grow back - the late summer moult will help though.
 
@ "Ploddles" - comments like yours make me sad - wrong on so many levels. :|
 
Hi William, I think you will find there is no right answer to it. Stress, Mites, Moulting and general wear and tear of parents feeding their young can all be possible causes.
 
What you see here is just a bird going through its anual moult all birds have to replace there feathers after breeeding as taken place they take such a battering when having to constantly keep feeding offspring,its a natural process...Nige,(y)
 
Kingfisher said:
@ "Ploddles" - comments like yours make me sad - wrong on so many levels. :|
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:wacky:Sorry mate but its you that as it all wrong,do your homework and you will see what everyone is trying to tell you...regards Nige.
 
But yes, very mature and friendly ":wacky:"! If you think the bird is moulting, fine, that's your opinion. If YOU had done YOUR homework you'd know that all birds go through an annual moult but you don't see them flying around with bald heads like this. It's almost always blue tits that are affected by stress like this during the breeding season. Year after year I get these blue tits in my garden while raising young. But if you don't believe it, that's fine.
What isn't fine is your attitude towards me.
If a 'bird lover' calls birds 'flying rats' that should be killed and I disagree because I love birds and feel that's wrong, I'm not sure what's that got to do with YOU, or 'doing one's homework' or why you need to insult me. But nice talking to you, 'mate'. :thumbsdown:
 
Kingfisher said:
But yes, very mature and friendly ":wacky:"! If you think the bird is moulting, fine, that's your opinion. If YOU had done YOUR homework you'd know that all birds go through an annual moult but you don't see them flying around with bald heads like this. It's almost always blue tits that are affected by stress like this during the breeding season. Year after year I get these blue tits in my garden while raising young. But if you don't believe it, that's fine.
What isn't fine is your attitude towards me.
If a 'bird lover' calls birds 'flying rats' that should be killed and I disagree because I love birds and feel that's wrong, I'm not sure what's that got to do with YOU, or 'doing one's homework' or why you need to insult me. But nice talking to you, 'mate'. :thumbsdown:
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Its not an insult Sandra its just the truth of the matter,its you that seems to have the problem with people giving you sound advice;:bonk:
 
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No idea what you're talking about. "Sound" advice - that's your interpretation as you are ignoring views other than your own that are based on facts. How do you explain blue tits like that in early June while feeding young? And you obviously didn't even read the comment I was referring to!!
 
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I've 3 kids (soon to be 4) and my head is getting a bit bald.

Joking aside - I have a few blue tits that have no head feathers and having read a bit about it I'm with Rich - "there is no right answer to it. Stress, Mites, Moulting and general wear and tear of parents feeding their young can all be possible causes"

Whatever the reason - it can be quite a shock to see.
 
Kingfisher said:
No idea what you're talking about. "Sound" advice - that's your interpretation as you are ignoring views other than your own that are based on facts. How do you explain blue tits like that in early June while feeding young? And you obviously didn't even read the comment I was referring to!!
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Ok then if you seem to now what causes this so called problem with blue tits then why did you ask the question on the forum in the fisrt place? :wave:
 
Ploddles said:
:wacky:

What is so wrong about sparrowhawks eating pigeons. They do it all the time, it's called nature.
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I wish you guys could stop using the 'you are stupid'-smiley, it's rude. Nothing wrong with sprawks eating birds whatsoever, you are missing the point. Pigeons are beautiful birds, not 'flying rats' - so that's what's sad, your attitude towards them. But pointless telling you that, I do know that. :(
 
twitcher said:
Ok then if you seem to now what causes this so called problem with blue tits then why did you ask the question on the forum in the fisrt place? :wave:
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ERM, I didn't. :bonk: Specsavers?? ghostdancer asked the question. :wave:
 
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Iv'e seen Blackbirds, and many other, types of birds lose their head feathers first in the moult! Most birds lose their feathers in stages, the wing feathers are usually lost in sequence so that the bird can continue to fly.
 
*gold* said:
Is that Brocton Coppice bill ? Nice capture of a bad hair day bird (y)
Atb
Cliff
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Sorry it took me so long to reply Cliff,yes It was,I'm also sorry if I have caused a disagreement between people It was not my Intention,a friend of mine has also recorded this problem In a Robin.
 
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ghostdancer said:
Sorry it took me so long to reply Cliff,yes It was,I'm also sorry if I have caused a disagreement between people It was not my Intention,a friend of mine has also recorded this problem In a Robin.
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:nono: The answer is simple...........never start a thread again :nono: :LOL: :p

I for one think Rich has it, there are several things that could cause that and its likely to be caused by more than one thing.....ie it is in moult but could also be rather stressed after a large brood causing the high lose of feathers.

In which case everyone's right :clap: (y)

Perhaps the merits of a population cull in certain species should be a topic for another thread, though I can't see it lasting long.
 
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