ail guards are useful for birds who have brittle feathers or whose behavior tends to lead to damaged feathers. They are typically only seen on Accipiters, although they could be applied to any bird who needs them. The basic structure is a slick sleeve that fits over the tail protecting the delicate feathers. It may be used during transport or handling, but must be taken off for flying, hunting, and weathering.
A typical sheath for a Goshawk can be made of Mylar, vinyl plastic, TyVek, or x-ray film. This is stiff enough to protect the feathers, sturdy enough to stand up to a Goshawk, but light weight enough not to bother the bird. For a bird like a Sharp-Shin, overhead projector plastic makes a good sleeve. Whatever material is chosen, it must not tear, splinter, warp, or shrink and must not react to water.
The top-facing panel is made with a hole that will slip over the bird's tail bell mount. The edges of the panels should be wrapped with electrical tape or another material that will prevent the edge of the sheath from cutting into the feathers. Some sheaths are made of two panels connected at the sides which will slid up the tail, others are constructed with one side attached to open and close around the tail attaching to itself with velcro. The sleeve must be long enough to cover the bottom tips of the feathers and prevent damage to them.
The tail guard should be managed properly as with any other piece of equipment. Leaving it on too much will prevent a bird from preening, prevent her from spreading oil on her tail leading to even more brittle feathers, and will tend to hold in moisture potentially rotting the feathers. The guard is for short term use - for transportation or other handling that might lead to feather damage. Even wild birds damage feathers, so no feather damage can be completely prevented, but with those species who have more brittle feathers tools such as a tail guard can be very useful for their maintenance and management.
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A tail guard on a Goshawk. |
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A tail guard on a Goshawk. One advantage of this model is the ability to see the feathers through the cover.
Photo courtesy of Jo Turley |