Chaffinch Disease?

[Al Hyde]

Hi Everyone.
I've just noticed that one of the male Chaffinch that reguarly visits our feeder has some kind of disease on his feet.
One foot is missing with a growth around the foot joint and the other one has a messy looking growth akin to the elephant mans swellings. At First I thought he had a lump of sticky seeds stuck to his foot.
Aside from this he looks very healthy and happy.

Is this a common thing? I'm hoping it's not a contagious disease in birds

Thanks
Al

[Pam_M]

Hi Al,

It sounds as though the Chaffinch has 'Bumble Foot'. Poor thing. I saw my first Chaffinch with this disease a couple of weeks ago at a nature reserve. Sad to see.
Here is a link to a thread I have found on WAB.

Female Chaffinch - Foot

[Al Hyde]

Hi again Pam,

Thanks for the link , that is exactly the same as what I saw (The bird in the first photo)

This interesting as, it seems to be only effecting Chaffinch?

I do hope this isn't on the increase.

All the best,
Al

[wildliferescuer]

The piece below is taken from the same thread. I disagree that this is bumblefoot which is an infection usually seen on the underside of the foot & is often associated with using perches that are too small, leading to the claw of the bird piercing the underside of the foot. Common in captive birds of prey amongst others, occassionally seen in wild birds.

This looks like viral papilloma, as described below.

Warts (viral papillomas)

Agent: The Fringilla papillomavirus (FPV).

Epidemiology: The epidemiology of the disease has not been studied.

Species susceptible: Chaffinches and, to a lesser extent, bramblings. In a large survey of birds captured for ringing in the Netherlands, papillomas were found on 330 (1.3%) of some 25,000 chaffinches examined and both sexes were affected. However, cases usually occur in clusters and quite high proportions of local populations may be affected in outbreaks.

Clinical signs: The disease causes warty outgrowths on the foot or tarsometatarsus (the bare part of the leg). Usually only one limb is affected. The growths vary from small nodules to large irregular shaped and deeply-fissured masses which almost engulf the entire lower leg and foot and which can distort the toes. Affected birds usually seem in otherwise good health but some may show signs of lameness and hop mainly on the unaffected foot and digits may be lost. The warts grow slowly and may progress over many months.

Pathology: The growths have a similar structure to warts in mammals and are due to excessive growth of the keratinised layers of the skin.

Risks to human and domestic species: None known.

Diagnosis: The clinical appearance is strongly suggestive but other diseases can cause swellings on the legs and feet: infestation with Cnemidocoptes mites (there is some evidence for an association between mange due to Cnemidocoptes infestations and the occurrence of papillomas), bacterial infections (bumblefoot), poxvirus infections. Diagnosis can be confirmed by histology or detection of papillomavirus particles.

[Al Hyde]

Hi Wildlife Rescuer,
Thanks for the interesting read .

There is one other issue with my chaffinch though , the loss of one foot. I do not know if the disease caused the loss of the foot or if the bird lost it in some other way

I will try to get a picture

All the best
Al