Feathers


Upon our return home last night from town we saw these feathers close to the feeder. At first I was upset with our neighbors chihuahua for killing the bird. Then their kids came over and asked what I was doing and what did this? I couldn't answer them because I didn't know. One of them even suggested a cat but, my cat is a house cat with diabetes unable to go outside anymore. Our neighbors only have dogs or no pets. Could two birds have fought over the food leaving one dead or dying somewhere? I've never known two birds to fight so violently.

On a lighter note, I saw two deer in different places on the way home. The one standing next to the guardrail ready to jump at a given instant was a doe with black tipped ears and the sweetest face. I hope she waited until all the cars passed by before crossing the highway.

4 comments:

Wanda..... said...

Possibly a hawk swooped in for the bird.

Rambling Woods said...

Looks like a bird was plucked by a raptor....that is the pattern.

Mary said...

I would guess a hawk, too. I don't often have them come to my house, but sometimes the birds get very quiet and scarce and I figure a hawk is hanging around where I can't see it. I found some feathers not long ago, too, that actually looked like they were from the hawk.

Max-e said...

That is part of the problem in nature when you are near the bottom of the food chain.
This reminds me of an incident I once experienced of an injured wildebees calf. The mother was torn between staying with her calf, which was limping along badly and following the herd. Eventually the herd mentality prevailed over motherhood and the predators swooped on the calf, when she left.
Sometimes nature's ways are cruel, but either way it was about survival of the fittest.