mystery mammal tail

paulthevole
New Member

Posts: 2

mystery mammal tail May 9, 2017 13:47:48 GMT

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Post by paulthevole on May 9, 2017 13:47:48 GMT

This was found amongst feeding remains left by a mustelid polecat / mink / ferret sized judging by the scats it left nearby. Size is about 150mm long. The bird's wing to the left is robin/sparrow/dunnock sized.

I can't pin it down. The colour pattern can be seen in some grey squirrel tails, but the fur on this was very coarse, much coarser than grey squirrel and more like dog or deer fur. The best I can come up with is small terrier, but that seems an unlikely prey for mink or polecat.

Anyone got any ideas?

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NellyDee Supreme Member Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away Posts: 3,073	mystery mammal tail May 9, 2017 15:51:19 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by NellyDee on May 9, 2017 15:51:19 GMT Interesting, but no idea - what part of the country are you? Could be that a larger animal made the kill and the mink or polecat got some of the remains

accipiter
Supreme Member

Posts: 1,970

mystery mammal tail May 9, 2017 23:20:04 GMT NellyDee likes this

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Post by accipiter on May 9, 2017 23:20:04 GMT

I am not sure your whole scenario is correct, it looks like part of a fox brush and the feathers have been chewed indicating the behaviour of a fox, the exact scenario is difficult to say but could not the scat be fox scat too.

Of course the scat nearby could be from some kind of mustelid as you say but could this not just be coincidence it was there too at some point in time.

Alan

Post by paulthevole on May 9, 2017 13:47:48 GMT

Post by NellyDee on May 9, 2017 15:51:19 GMT

Post by accipiter on May 9, 2017 23:20:04 GMT