Early Paintbrush?

[Alien J]

Some of you may recall this Red Tailed Hawk I photographed recently eating his meal on a lamppost.


Walking the dogs a little later, I picked this up from underneath that same lamppost. Obviously, our friend doesn't mind being canilbilistic. Notice how the one feather looks so much like a paintbrush?

I was told, in a thread of mine about molting, that @Macawnutz was a feather expert. What is this kind of feather? TD doesn't have ones like this!

 

[Macawnutz]

Oh, he was eating another bird huh.
Looks like a tail or secondary wing feather. I'd guess tail first. The one in the shaft is a new blood feather, that's how they grow in. Your bird has blood feathers too. Is that what is confusing?

 

[XstatyK]

The one that looks like a paintbrush still has the feather sheath that feathers grow from until fully expanded.
Take a look at these

 

[Alien J]

Is that what is confusing?

Actually, confused is my normal state. I knew TD (and all birds) have blood feathers, but, I've never actually seen one! Not yet with TD, and not with Miyetti.

Test Question:What kind of bird did it come from? Possible hint - Crows were dive-bombing it whilst it ate...tho' the predator didn't blink an eye, didn't miss a bite...and didn't forget to swallow.

 

[Macawnutz]

Actually, confused is my normal state. I knew TD (and all birds) have blood feathers, but, I've never actually seen one! Not yet with TD, and not with Miyetti.

Test Question:What kind of bird did it come from? .

A black one!

Everytime a feather molts a new one grows in in its place. They are encased in that sheath and filled with blood. As the feather grows the bird can preen the end exposing the feather. Preen too far and it will bleed.

Your paint brush feather, if you open the sheath a underdeveloped feather will be inside.

 

[Alien J]

Take

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[Alien J]

Your paint brush feather, if you open the sheath a underdeveloped feather will be inside.

Awesome! Thanks!