Problem with Greenfinchs

[Martin Wilson]

Have noticed that quite a few Greenfinches in the back garden are suffering from clogged bills and the eyes are closing very slowly as if they just want to sleep all day. They do not fly away until I am two or three feet away, I am asking this as we found three dead on the lawn this afternoon.
I know Finches do have bad spells and suffer declines now and then, my concern is (if they are suffering from a virus or something) can it be crossed from one to another on feeders or water stations?.
Has anyone else noticed the same symptoms?
I clean the feeders once a month.
Slightly at a loss.

Martin

[Jason Green]

Some viruses associated with finches include trichomoniasis, see this article from 2006. Does it sound the same?

Garden finches fall prey to deadly virus - Times Online

Google search: http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...+viruses&meta=

[djackso]

This sounds nasty.

If they were my greenfinches, I'd stop feeding them and scrub all feeders and feeding surfaces with bleach. In a phrase, I'd be "cruel to be kind". I couldn't stop giving them water, as they rely on the pond (although this is well balanced, so I'd guess it's not as much of a health hazard).

[Tormentil]

Originally Posted by Martin Wilson

I clean the feeders once a month.

One of the problems is, that other people may clean thier feeders rarely, if at all.

[owlmomma]

We had quite a few in with Trich in 06, nothing this year, I hoped the vile disease was leaving them alone

Usually it is Pigeons but 06 was awful for the greenfinches. Only thing you can do is treat them with metranadizole but you have to catch em up for that and to be honest, it works much better with pigeons than with finches

[witham]

luckily the Greenfinches here seem to be thriving this year and I haven't spotted any sick ones at all, yet, I regularly spray my feeders, tables etc with Johnson's Clean'n'Safe bird table disinfectant it kills numerous bacteria and viruses including Bird Flu, I also put fresh water out every day sometimes more than once as although we have a couple of ponds, this time of year especially there are micro organisms in the water which can be harmfull to smaller wild birds or if they have to rely on puddles or stagnant water it's even worse

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Greenfinch do seem to contract diseases more than most other birds, I make sure that I clean the feeders they use regularly with a anti bacterial spray, luckily i've only seen one poorly one this year.

[Martin Wilson]

[quote=Jason Green;308795]Some viruses associated with finches include trichomoniasis, see this article from 2006. Does it sound the same?

Garden finches fall prey to deadly virus - Times Online

Just read it Jason, has it in a nut shell. All the symptoms are the same so I think that I will have to clean the feeders and the water weekly. The water more often than that.
Many thanks for the information it has been very useful and accurate.

Martin

[Jason Green]

Pleasure

[Martin Wilson]

To everyone giving sound advice on this issue.

Not feeding the birds is not an option. I will now follow advice and clean the feeders more often with cleaners - mentioned "Clean 'n' safe" or other anti bacterial sprays.
The water daily as this could be one of the main sources of cross contamination.

Thanks to all.
Martin