Famous Amos Photography

ALT Image of foot of northern Pygmy-owl with a leg band with an amputated, but otherwise healed and healthy toe. An aluminum leg band from the USGS is visible. The band has a unique number assigned to this individual and you can read the digits 3741 with the rest of the sequence obscured on the rest of the band that wraps around the lower leg of the owl above the foot. You can clearly see the feather tarsus and upper toes and the yellow scaly skin of the upper foot and toes beneath. The three other toes show the normal claw and toes, and the outermost toe is missing both the claw, “nail bed” and a portion of the digit below the first joint.

ALT Image of a northern Pygmy owl’s feet with one foot held open showing an amputated toe just below the most distal joint. Owl leg bands and biologist’s equally dirty fingernails are visible in the image.