By Vileve
Middlesex,
United Kingdom 
Not a gardening question, but curious about a magpie with no feathers on his underparts and legs and the skin looks pink, it comes in my sister's garden in w,worthing. I took a photo of her 'pink magpie' is this a disease I wonder? it seems quite healthy otherwise, and looks really weird running across the grass with bare legs etc
20 Jul, 2010
Answers
I know that caged birds will sometimes pluck their feathers if they are stressed, maybe it's the same with the wild ones.........?
20 Jul, 2010
Thanks louise1 I never thought of doing that! will try to get on their site.
20 Jul, 2010
Suspect it is moulting as the bird looks perfectly happy. So far as I am aware wild birds do not pluck their feathers.
20 Jul, 2010
I don't think so Moon grower, there are many magpies here and never seen one moult before...but a first time for anything!!
21 Jul, 2010
Magpies moult after their young are fledged and away from the nest. This means that by the time they moult they are already tired and stressed. Occasionally they lose their old feathers before the new ones grow in which makes for even more stress.hopefully the new feathers will grow in soon.
21 Jul, 2010
Will keep you posted Moon grower on condition of the Magpie, as it's a regular visitor to the garden for the food. so do hope it regains its feathers soon or it will feel the cold in the winter!
21 Jul, 2010
Previous question
Oh my, the poor thing :-((((((((((((
That can't be good :-/
It would be worth going onto the RSPB site and posting it there too.
20 Jul, 2010