dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway) (03/20/90)
First off, a hearty thank-you to those who have thus far responded! My definition of "bloodfeather" was a bit skewed. In truth, a bloodfeather is an immature feather that still has a blood vessel inside. As the feather matures, the blood vessel atrophies. We tend, though, to apply the term also to feathers that have grown in on an injured wing in such a location that the bird cannot preen the new shaft. In some cases, this seems to retard the atrophy of the blood vessel, and what we find is a mature feather that has retained its sheathe, now badly ingrown much like a human nail, and also its internal blood vessel. Some of our birds seem more prone to develop these than others. Fortunately, they are in the minority, so we are able to keep an eye on them. In most cases, we can do the preening for them. The trouble with the falcon, I fear, is that NOBODY touches her feathers, not NOBODY, NO HOW, NO WAY, and that's FINAL! She's smart enough to know which part of you is skin and which part is glove, and if you even THINK of touching her beautiful plumage she'll foot the living daylights out of you. Hence the problem. -- Sam Conway * If you are not listed on the dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu * National Registry of Bone Marrow Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH * Donors...you should be. Vermont Raptor Center (VINS) * Contact your local Red Cross.