Can a bird with no tail feathers fly?

[jeeperman]

Yes!!! Don't ask me how but I have seen it. This little Red-Wing Blackbird female has been buzzing around with no tail feathers...not one....for two weeks. Not sure if she was hatched this way or lost them in an attack, but she flies great and catches plenty of bugs.

[Bobobird]

Excellent observation Paul. These are so fast it is sometimes difficult to see the minute details.

[jeeperman]

Thank you Bobo, they are quick but in this case the little girl is missing 4 inches of tail. As she flew she looked a bit like a bat. Then as she is perched here you can see her wing tips are the end.

[AB26]

Don't know Paul, never observed a bird flying without tail feathers. As far as I know they steer with the tail. She must be unbalanced now.

[Cantab]

Paul,
Does she appear to fly normally? I'd have thought tail feathers were essential but I guess not.

[jeeperman]

She buzzes around like she doesn't know they are missing. Infact she is so quick I could not get her in frame while flying. She turns on a dime. The only difference I see is that her wing beats per minute is a bit higher than her friends. Pretty amazing really.