I have five chickadees visiting the sunflower seed feeder. One of
them has no tail whatsoever. While it does not visit as often and
furiously as do the other four, "tail-less one" seems to fly just
fine, and day after day comes to the feeder for its meals. Has anyone
a clue as to what is going on with this bird? I was thinking it was
either some sort of strange molting, or someone like a Cooper's hawk
snatching the tail feathers, or else a genetic deformity.