What's this?

[gramps]

Spotted this juvenile Swallow this morning and when I got to processing the image I noticed something unusual on its outstretched wing.
At first I thought it was some sort of scratch mark but on closer inspection it was clearly not a defect to the wing and was separate from most feathers.
Closer looking showed that it was almost like a long piece of cotton BUT it appeared to be attached to one of the wing feathers by some sort of 'head'.
Is it just something that has caught onto the wing feather and the 'head' is just something unexplained, or is this some type of parasite?
I have no idea.


View attachment 106906

 

[Kodiak Qc]

Is it just something that has caught onto the wing feather and the 'head' is just something unexplained, or is this some type of parasite?
I have no idea.

I don't think it is a form of parasite… no motivation.

OTH, may very well be some organic, body secretion
that was intercepted on its was down. The head being
the point of impact… possibly.

 

[gramps]

I don't think it is a form of parasite… no motivation.

OTH, may very well be some organic, body secretion
that was intercepted on its was down. The head being
the point of impact… possibly.

I'm sure it isn't a secretion Daniel it isn't attached to the wing feathers except at that single point and it didn't budge even whilst the bird was preening itself.

Another image...

View attachment 106910

 

[sk66]

Looks a lot like spider web/nest sack to me...

 

[gramps]

Looks a lot like spider web/nest sack to me...

Could be, it would certainly stick ... maybe picked up whilst perching.

 

[sk66]

Yeah, I don't think swallows use spider webs for nesting material like some other birds do.

 

[gramps]

Yeah, I don't think swallows use spider webs for nesting material like some other birds do.

No its just mud really, well in the UK it is, it could only have been picked up between flights, whilst perched ... if that's what it is of course.