Missing greenfinches

[Monika]

We get a reasonable variety of birds at our bird feeding station (peanuts, sunflower hearts, milled peanuts, porridge oats, suet blocks) including all the tits, robin, dunnock, wren, most thrushes, regular great spotted woodpecker, occasional reed bunting, goldcrest, brambling, most finches BUT this winter we have not seen a single greenfinch. Two years ago, I found several dead greenfinches, presumably succumbed to avian tricomoniasis, but I thought numbers might have recovered sufficiently to show just a few birds, but, contrary to a few years ago, not a single greenfinch has shown up this winter so far. Is this a general impression or is it just local to us, around Skipton in North Yorkshire?

[RKB]

Trichmoniasis is thought to have much reduced the Greenfinch population, and it is spread by people attracting lots of birds into a small area at feeding stations (which is then contaiminated with droppings). So, unfortunately, garden feeding is probably luring Greenfinches to their deaths.

[aeshna5]

I've also noticed a reduction in this species locally, though still present in small numbers.

[pitre]

We have a regular 4 calling three on sunflower feeder but one is sickly looking feeding on the floor under the feeder. What are the symptoms for trichmoniasis ?

[Dogghound]

I only see them in small numbers. Very recently (2 years) they seem to have declined.

[Paul mabbott]

I've not seen any finches locally this year. Is it only greenfinches that suffer from trichomoniasis?

[RKB]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

I've not seen any finches locally this year. Is it only greenfinches that suffer from trichomoniasis?

No, but they seem particularly susceptible.

http://www.ufaw.org.uk/documents/GBH...heet_Sep06.pdf

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Monika

Is this a general impression or is it just local to us, around Skipton in North Yorkshire?

I live between York & Thirsk & have also noticed fewer visiting my feeders.

[Monika]

Pitre, trichomoniasis mainly attacks finches and the first you will notice is that they look sickly and with puffed up plumage. They stop feeding (I believe the disease actually affects their gullets) and then just drop dead.

On the feeding: we are lucky in that we can change the feeding area regularly and I certainly completely change the drinking water every day. By doing all this, I was hoping that diseases would be kept in check.

[Geoff F]

Have they moved further south due to the cold weather?

Here in the far south, I am seeing plenty in my garden as usual. But they all disappear in early spring when they move away looking for nesting sites.

And a couple of blackcaps overwintering here, as happens every winter.