Brown thrasher with beak deformity

[Claire Nemes]

Yesterday (9/17) I was pleased to add a new species to my yard list - a brown thrasher that was visiting the birdbath and feasting on pokeberries. However, I soon noticed that its mandibles were crossed and the lower one was much longer than normal. I took a few pictures through the window (posted here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/92071295@N06/9803378863/in/photostream/) and submitted my observation to the lab in Alaska (http://alaska.usgs.gov/science/biology/landbirds/beak_deformity/index.html) that is researching these deformities, which are apparently much more common in the Pacific Northwest.

Despite this, the thrasher seemed to have no problems drinking or plucking pokeberries off the stem. Has anyone else noticed birds with deformed beaks in the area?

Claire Nemes
Silver Spring

[diane Ford]

Claire,

  This early summer I noticed a family of American Crows foraging in my neighbors' yards. One of them had a crossed deformed bill. If he had red plumage, I would have mistaken it for a giant crossbill.

Don't know how common this deformity is either-

D.Ford/Bethesda.

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[Warblerick]

Claire,
On the Triadelphia CBC two years ago our party watched a Brown Thrasher with a deformed bill, at Blue Mash in MoCo. Seemed a late bird, and the deformed bill made it standout, but otherwise seemed to be getting along.

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD