# Where did her tail go???



## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

I had a homer come back to my loft from a drop with no tail feathers. After inspection, they are there but they look like they were cut off with a hack saw!! Whatever it was would have had lunch if they would have been 1 inch closer. I put her in a isolated section of my loft, away from the others. Do I just wait till they push out with new ones, or is there an alternative??? she can still fly, and acts normal except for landings, hee.


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## raftree3 (Oct 16, 2010)

I'd imagine a hawk had it. Had it happen twice this year and its surprising how fast they grow back. Both birds turned out pretty well.....probably always looking behind them.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes they can call it frieght molt, or stress molt, or shock molt. all the tail feathers are ejected from the feather follicles at once.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

I can't Imagine how her tail looks like I think a picture can help, I assume it was a hawk , or someone tried to catch her anyways it is goodthat she made it home safely


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

I don't imagine a hawk or person could do anything to give the impression they were "cut off with a hack saw" unless they had a hack saw, It seems strange to me? Was it a good bird? Had it ever won a race? In my experience, Any pulling or stress on a tail feather will cause it to eject as oppose to break.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. I wonder if those alternative, wind powered blades that stand in the field had something to do with the tail feathers? 
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/wind-turbine-kill-birds.htm


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Usually when a hawk grabs the tail, the tail comes out. If they were broken off as stubs, it sounds like it may have hit a power line or got shot off by dove hunters possibly (although I haven't seen one have the whole tail shot off, just spots).


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

Thanks all. She is just a young bird road training for the first time. She is still fine with no troubles other than missing 3/4 of her tail. Whatever it was, I am sure she will remember later. Might make her a better bird with the experience!! There were definitely little sharp stubs where a dog or something went gulp ( no alligators in West Virginia, Hee!!). I bet she fly's straight home without a stop next time!! Thanks again


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## Crazybird (Jul 13, 2013)

It is dove season in some areas of the south so Becky's explanation may not be far fetched. I've wondered if flyers consider this when racing and loft flying their birds. I generally won't fly my birds during dove season to ensure there are no cases of mistaken identity. I live in a somewhat rural area and hear shots constantly.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Crazybird said:


> It is dove season in some areas of the south so Becky's explanation may not be far fetched. I've wondered if flyers consider this when racing and loft flying their birds. I generally won't fly my birds during dove season to ensure there are no cases of mistaken identity. I live in a somewhat rural area and hear shots constantly.


We always wait until after opening week to start racing, or skip that week if we had to start before. After the first weekend people start to go back to work and it dies down a lot.


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## Peacbackacha (Feb 24, 2013)

*Dropped tail feathers*

I have heard that pigeons drop their tail feathers when scared as a decoy.

I actually saw this happen one day when a dog almost grabbed a pigeon off the ground.


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## pooch88 (Nov 17, 2013)

I would be inclined to agree that the problem is Hawks. I had a Peregrine hit one of my birds the other day while loft flying the Falcon killed the Pigeon out-rights. 
A day or so later I had a Cooper Hawk attack one of my late hatch birds while they were out getting some exercise, the hawk took the complete tail except for one feather. 
Back in the day when we used to have pheasants here in central Pennsylvania it was not uncommon to see some pheasants late in the winter with damaged tail feathers. I have always chalked this up to Red Tail Hawks making a strike and coming up with nothing but feathers…


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## Doig (May 18, 2013)

@ peacbackacha 
I think so too. I remember I grabbed a feral pigeons' tail once and it got scared and it felt as if the tail feathers were like water... Slipped right off... All of them... Poor thing... That was years ago though.

@ pigeonjim
Maybe she was trying to outfly an airplane... "cut off with a hack saw"..?
What I do is I pull them out.. If there are any of the attached ends of the tail feathers left.

Right now that is what I am doing with my birds ever since lockdown. I pull out feathers that need be replace that are broken after molting. 

Or you could wait like many fanciers here suggest...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Be advised that this is not current, this is an OLD thread. 

But thank you for sharing, anyway. *


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## M Kurps (Mar 19, 2009)

I will throw in my 2 cents . Sounds to me like she went down and got her tail cut off by a leg trap .
Kurps


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

M Kurps said:


> I will throw in my 2 cents . Sounds to me like she went down and got her tail cut off by a leg trap .
> Kurps


That is what it looked like!! She got her tail feathers back and turned out to be a pretty good bird, not a winner, but consistent. I had a ball watching her try to land with half of a tail fan. I loft flew her and she took a few tumbles, then stood up, looked around to see if anyone was watching and acted like it never happened!! Too funny! Thanks everyone for the remarks......Jim


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## Eleftharios (Oct 5, 2014)

*Photo proof*

I found the remains of a pigeon that had the feathers sawed off as described and I can't what kind of critter did it however here is a photo of the feathers


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Bizzare.........


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## Eleftharios (Oct 5, 2014)

I know! What seems bizarre is that Pigeon Jim's bird was luckier than the one that I found and made it home. The one I found there was no part of the carcass left except the pinion joints. I have been around birds my whole life and can not recall anything quite like this. I wouldn't even feel comfortable guessing as to weather or not it was eaten my a mammal or a bird!


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