As a bit of critical thinking:
'Powder downs' are common through most bird groups (except for ratites
apparently), and essentially are feathers that crumble at the edges to
produce fine powder that aids grooming a nd feather care, or contrbutes
to the colouration of the bird. Though I like the tawny frogmouth idea,
I'm willing to bet it's one of the white cockatoo species. I've had
experience with pet corellas and sulphur crests and there was white
powder everywhere that needed constant cleaning up. Are there large
flocks in Toowoomba? If so that raises the chances (e.g. 20 cockatoos: 1
frogmouth; though I know that's probably dodgey stats application) -
also they're much bolder, somehow flying into a window seems much more
like something a cockatoo would do rather than a frogmouth. And there's
the added possibility of an escaped pet cockatoo being the culprit ('let
me in, it's friggin cold out here in the wilds of Toowoomba!') .
Actually, I recall one of the pet cockatoos leaving an similar angel
shape on the inside of a window.
Admittedly I've only handled a few dead frogmouths in museums and wasn't
taking note of whether they seemed to have much powder down (if it would
remain in such a specimen), Plaxy would know more about that having
nursed one. Possibly the ragged edge to the feather impressions might be
more in favour of a tawny than a cockatoo? I can't say.
I'd say the best evidence in the photo is the impression of the feather
on the allula (halfway along on the front of the wing) - the size and
distance between it and the distal tips of the flight feathers might
give you enough information to ID the bird, if there's enough difference
between species.
I do think it would be impossible for that to be the beak impression, as
the 'bridge' of the beak would prevent the rim of the beak to make
contact with the glass. I think that's a trace of a moving feather tip.
Mmm..yhey (to quote scientist from Simpsons)
Cheers,
Chris
________________________________
From: On Behalf Of
Thomas Rayner
Sent: Thursday, 12 July 2007 2:01 PM
To: Plaxy BARRATT
Cc: ; Dean Ingwersen; peter pfeiffer;
Chris Charles; Barry McLean; R Clarke; Philip Veerman; Geoff Ross; Dave
Torr; keith; Chris Glen; Elizabeth Symonds; Peter Kyne;
; Daniel Mantle; Mike Bennett;
Subject: Re: Tawny angel
Here's the link:
http://tomandzoe.com/log/?p=716
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