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poor bunting



I've had two interesting things at the house feeders today.  The first was a
redbellied woodpecker that hit the window very hard.  I've never had
anything but cardinals hit before, so I was surprised since I have all the
'no hit' things in place.  I went out to see and he was lying on his back
with his head bent way back, but as I got closer I could see he was
breathing and when I picked him up before a cat could, he blinked his eyes
and was able to hold his head properly, so I put him in the shade in a tall
outdoor sink that we have to recover and after about an hour he flew off!
That's so much nicer than having to put him in the freezer for Will Post.
The second involved one of several painted buntings that are using the
feeders.  This fully adult plumaged male seemed to be having trouble
perching to eat, so I looked more closely and he was badly crippled.  His
right foot had all its toes but was withered and useless, like a stroke
victim almost, and he pecked at it a lot.  His left foot wasn't strong
enough to hold the perch very well because it had only a middle toe and a
back toe that worked.  The inner toe was hardly developed and the outer toe
looked limp.  My question is do you think this is a congenital defect,
something from a disease, or from an injury, and what do you think his
chances are? He has obviously made it for a year, or nearly anyway.
On a happier note, I have wood thrushes in stereo outside.
Bruce Krucke
Yonges Island, SC