Bird Impression

Seen on my bedroom window.




The bird lived, a pigeon(?), buut left its calling mark.

I've had the same thing on my windscreen before. It's like talcum powder, but does anyone know what it actually is?

Bird Dandruff ?

Close but no cigar .

I've had a few of these on house windows over the years - always pigeons. Apparently, the mark is a powder produced by the breakdown of 'powder down' feathers. Most birds have a gland that produces preen oil, which is spread by preening and keeps feathers in good condition. Some birds, including pigeons, don't have that gland but do have the powder which has much the same beneficial effects. Which explains why I've never seen the ghostly outline of a sparrow on a window in spite of numerous strikes when a new generation hasn't yet learned that trying to fly into a room just results in a headache.

Steve

Well I never

Great shot - in my parents' old house, I have a vivid memory of waking up to see the perfect outline of an owl imprinted on the kitchen window. Not sure I'll ever forget that, you could see so many of the groups of feathers and the face shape was beautiful.

Amazing to think that they are all descended from dinosaurs. I wonder what it would look like if a T. Rex collided with a window...

Steve

Broken

I feel for that pigeon....

On one occasion I head butted my car window, going to talk my fried. I forgot I had closed it!!

Occasionally we have had Collared Doves hit windows producing the same effect, usually they have survived the impact.

Earlier this week a young Collared Dove hit our patio doors head on and broke its neck, initialled we thought it was just stunned alas the poor thing died as my wife's held it in her hands.

And it always happens after the windows have been cleaned.😒

Of course. If the window is dirty they can see it and turn away. That ghostly pigeon is a tribute to the former cleanliness of your window!

Steve

Reminds me of the terrible joke:

What is the last thing that goes through a fly's mind when it collides with your windscreen?

Its backside.

I can not disagree

Bad! (But also very funny.)