I have had a male Northern Flicker( red-shafted) coming off & on to our feeders since Jan./03 with a severe beak deformity. At first it was about 3-4" long & curved slightly downward. This year it is approx,. 6-7" long. The top mandible curves sharply down. The bottom mandible curves down at the same angle for the first couple of inches then veers sharpley off to the left. It is amazing to see he has survived 2 winters & watching him adapt to his handicap is incredible ! He has come up with some very ingenious ways to feed himself. Of the dozen or so Flickers in the nieghbourhood he is the only one with a deformed beak. Also, all the other males have a red nape except him. I have not seen him for awhile ( at least in my own yard) , he disappeared as soon as all the juv. Flickers came out of the nest holes. It is quite interesting to see & to try & keep track of him & his behaviour. I live in the North Thompson/Okanagan area of B.C. & this seems to be a bit of a rarity in our parts. Apparently it is a common sight in Alaska , especially in Chickadees.
Wow! That is amazing! It is incredible that a bird with a deformed bill can survive. Thanks for sharing this unique story.