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avian keratin disorder
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- 1Avian keratin disorder blamed for deformed beaks in Alaska chickadees▼Scientists believe avian keratin disorder is cause of fishhook beaks in Alaska chickadee population
Researchers in Alaska say avian keratin disorder is the cause of the overgrown, fishhook-shaped beaks seen in the state's chickadee population. The condition causes abnormal keratin growth in birds' beaks and feathers, making it harder for affected birds to feed. Scientists continue to study what triggers the disorder, which has been documented among chickadees in Alaska since the 1990s.