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I found a dead blackbird - WARNING: Post can be upsetting

  • 08-06-2016 7:36pm
    #1
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    This afternoon I found a dead adult male blackbird under a tree in the middle of my front garden/driveway. What I found really upsetting was that the poor thing was intact except for a badly severed lower beak, which had been broken at the 'jaw' and was dangling loose, and worse yet the tongue was gone. No signs of bites or trauma anywhere else, from what I can see.

    What could cause such a terrible injury? Would another bird be able to do that? There are both jays and magpies around, and the odd buzzard too - I've seen them attack other birds before, but they usually hit them on the head, neck and spine, or just grab them and carry them away. Or could another blackbird be the culprit, considering there are lots of nests in that area of the garden? Or is it more likely the work of human hands?

    I haven't buried it yet, if needed I'll post a picture but I'd really rather not unless it's strictly necessary.

    Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    newbie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭newbie2


    Flew into a window probably.


  • #3
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    This would have been far enough from nearby windows, to be honest - a car or a lorry, perhaps? Would that be plausible? It's only a couple of metres from the road...


  • #4
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    No need
    for pictures. If near a road then it was probably a roadkill. The obvious cause is usually the answer.


  • #5
    newbie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,477 ✭✭✭newbie2


    Yep


  • #6
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    I didn't heed the warning now I'm extremely upset.


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  • #7
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    I know the feeling, I was on the verge of tears when I found him...

    EDIT - Sorry Srameen, I just re-read your post, you said NO NEED for pictures, I read it as NEED pictures. I won't post them. Thanks for that - at least I can stop thinking it was deliberate animal cruelty...

    I hope he had a quick death...


  • #8
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Look, birds die in their hundred every day. I wouldn't get upset at the death of one blackbird.


  • #9
    odyssey06
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,018 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    There is sorrow enough in the natural way
    From men and women to fill our day;
    But when we are certain of sorrow in store,
    Why do we always arrange for more?
    Brothers and sisters I bid you beware
    Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
    - Rudyard Kipling, "The Power of the Dog"

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • #10
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Evalyn Colossal Brush wrote: »
    Look, birds die in their hundred every day. I wouldn't get upset at the death of one blackbird.

    I know they do, but what can I tell you, I'm a big softie, and I do get upset.


  • #11
    cd07
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    New Home wrote:
    What could cause such a terrible injury? Would another bird be able to do that? There are both jays and magpies around, and the odd buzzard too - I've seen them attack other birds before, but they usually hit them on the head, neck and spine, or just grab them and carry them away. Or could another blackbird be the culprit, considering there are lots of nests in that area of the garden? Or is it more likely the work of human hands?

    The bird obviously smacked a window blackbirds always do it. Regarding the comments about buzzards i think u may be mixing them up with sparrowhawks and to somewhat listening to complete hearsay. A buzzard wouldn't be at all bothered with a blackbird bad rep again for buzzardsi


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  • #12
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    cd07 wrote: »
    The bird obviously smacked a window blackbirds always do it. Regarding the comments about buzzards i think u may be mixing them up with sparrowhawks and to somewhat listening to complete hearsay. A buzzard wouldn't be at all bothered with a blackbird bad rep again for buzzardsi

    I'm absolutely certain what I saw before was a buzzard and not a sparrowhawk (there are no sparrowhawks around here, and there's a decent number of buzzards), that time it caught a collared dove and tried to carry it away - I wasn't sure if they'd be doing the same with blackbirds, that's why I asked. Once I also witnessed a jay peck a young blackbird on the head right in the middle of the road (I had to stop the car or I'd have run it over), and a few weeks ago I also saw a magpie kill a juvenile blackbird.

    BTW, I've absolutely nothing against buzzards or other birds of prey, they all have their place in the food chain, and they are magnificent animals.


  • #13
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    New Home wrote: »
    I know they do, but what can I tell you, I'm a big softie, and I do get upset.
    Don't lose any sleep over it.


  • #14
    Mint Aero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,570 ✭✭✭Mint Aero


    Most likely cause of death was a pulmonary embolism as the beak was fractured. Depletion of oxygen causing neurological thrombosis thus the only course of action was to increase air flow by severing the lower jaw. A self inflicted wound commonly made through repeated blows off a jagged rock. In this instance the jaw was severed successfully so I can assume death resulted from the current hot weather congealing the blood and blocking air flow. The hot weather has claimed yet another life unfortunately.


  • #15
    OpenYourEyes
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,072 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    Mint Aero wrote: »
    Most likely cause of death was a pulmonary embolism as the beak was fractured. Depletion of oxygen causing neurological thrombosis thus the only course of action was to increase air flow by severing the lower jaw. A self inflicted wound commonly made through repeated blows off a jagged rock. In this instance the jaw was severed successfully so I can assume death resulted from the current hot weather congealing the blood and blocking air flow. The hot weather has claimed yet another life unfortunately.

    Or... y'know... a car just killed it...


  • #16
    New Home
    Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 77,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    Mint Aero wrote: »
    Most likely cause of death was a pulmonary embolism as the beak was fractured. Depletion of oxygen causing neurological thrombosis thus the only course of action was to increase air flow by severing the lower jaw. A self inflicted wound commonly made through repeated blows off a jagged rock. In this instance the jaw was severed successfully so I can assume death resulted from the current hot weather congealing the blood and blocking air flow. The hot weather has claimed yet another life unfortunately.

    Suuuuuuuuuure. :rolleyes:

    Nah, I'm now convinced it was aliens.


  • #17
    fryup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    no, it was the cat


  • #18
    cd07
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 466 ✭✭cd07


    New Home wrote:
    I'm absolutely certain what I saw before was a buzzard and not a sparrowhawk (there are no sparrowhawks around here, and there's a decent number of buzzards), that time it caught a collared dove and tried to carry it away - I wasn't sure if they'd be doing the same with blackbirds, that's why I asked. Once I also witnessed a jay peck a young blackbird on the head right in the middle of the road (I had to stop the car or I'd have run it over), and a few weeks ago I also saw a magpie kill a juvenile blackbird.


    Not impossible but unlikely a buzzared would catch a collared dove and given you have local jays there must be mixed woodland which still leads me to suspect what saw before was a sparrowhawk!


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