Trichomonosis

[Lensman400]

BTO's Bird Table magazine, Autumn issue, which arrived this morning highlights the problems with Trichomonosis. This disease caused by a single celled protozoan parasite is infecting Greenfinches and thought to be causing the reduction in numbers reported in UK gardens.
The last couple of days we have seen a Chaffinch displaying similar sympoms of lesions around the face, sitting all puffed up and behaving lethargically. It has been eating constantly but it appears to be filling its crop but not being able to swallow.
Is this parasite affecting Chaffinches as well? What steps can we take to ensure our bird tables, baths and feeders are clear of the parasite to avoid doing harm by attracting birds to our gardens.

[Wild-Woman]

Some good advice here on the RSPB website

The RSPB: Advice: Hygiene - vital precautions

[wildliferescuer]

We do see chaffinches with trichomoniasis but not as many seem to be affected as greenfinches. This year we have seen a large increase in canker in these. The number of pigeons & doves suffering from it has also shot up this year, probably due to our changing weather patterns.

[Morph]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Some good advice here on the RSPB website

The RSPB: Advice: Hygiene - vital precautions

Im glad to see they have changed the advice, it was a little misguided in the past.

[dmclean2]

Hi Guys,
I had this pigeon visit my garden last week and managed to get some pics of it close up, it was quite lethargic and was gasping gulps of air in, sticky wet down it's front, I had read up on Trichomonosis a while back so I knew what I was looking at,
I approached the bird and it flew into the garage I caught it and examined its vent, it was dry, I put it down and it made no attempt to fly off, then it went up onto the top of the porch where I took these pics,
I read in the BTO Bird Table mag that this disease is hitting the greenfinches quite badly but I haven't seen any signs here yet,
After the incident with the pigeon I have disinfected all my ground feeders and bird table, I use a product called Vanodine V18, used by Pigeon Breeders up and down the country, it's an Iodine based disinfectant
Duncan

[dmclean2]

WOW!
What's hapnedto the pics??
Duncan

[AndrewB]

Thanks Duncan for the useful tip about Vanodine. I have recently become concerned about hygiene as I have a pole feeder but removed a section of lawn at the base and put in some pebbles. These have now become rather dirty and discoloured.

Up to now I have been simply pouring a bowl of hot water with an ordinary antiseptic disinfectant over them about once a week, and also every few days cleaning any droppings from the tops of the feeders.

[pete-c]

Duncan

Great photos they really show what to look for.

Pete

[Jim Ford]

At first I thought the thread was entitled 'Trichinosis' - which would have given me the opportunity to quote Ogden Nash:

"Pig, turned into pork,
puts trichinosis on your fork."

Jim