Whether long and elegant, or short and stubby, tail feathers have several important functions for our garden birds. . .
They are used for the following purposes:
Steering and balance in flight with the tail acting like a rudder, helping birds to change direction, brake and land accurately.
Perching and stability - with birds such as woodpeckers using stiff tail feathers as a prop against tree trunks while climbing and feeding.
Communication – birds can move their tail to signal alarm, aggression, courtship or submission.
Courtship displays where birds fan or flick their tails to attract a mate or show off their fitness.
Insulation and protection – birds can tuck tails into their feathers to help keep warm while they are resting or sleeping.
Keeping an eye out for tail activity
Many garden birds put on quite a show with their tails, so keep your eyes peeled for some distinctive avian activity in your own outdoor space. Most noticeable might well be robins flicking their tails when agitated, blackbirds raising and spreading their tails during disputes or wrens with their cheeky cocked tails. These movements are all part and parcel of how birds communicate with one another and maintain balance.
What does a tail say?
Tail feathers are an important part of a bird’s body language and even the most subtle movement can communicate in a way that other birds understand immediately.
Examples include:
Alarm and nervousness: Robins flick their tails sharpy when threatened or when they feel uneasy. Blackbirds raise and spread tails when alarmed before they fly off and issue a distinctive warning call.
Territorial behaviour: Many of your garden birds will use tail displays to show confidence and warn rivals to keep away. Robins in particular will make quite a stand, flicking their tails, when facing an intruder.
Courtship: During the breeding season, male birds will spread or wag their tails to attract females. The quality of tail feathers can signal health and fitness.
Dominance: Birds can spread their feathers to give the impression of being larger than they really are to help when facing disputes over food, nesting sites or territory.
Contact: Some birds move their tails in sync with calls to help maintain social bonds and signal their intentions to nearby birds.
If you watch birds at your feeders, you will soon notice that tail movements are one of the first signs that a bird is relaxed, nervous or about to take flight. In fact, tails can be every bit as expressive as a call.