Bullfinch - with abnormal growth?

Simples · #1 (**permalink**) 14-02-2010, 11:03 PM

I spotted this fellow today and he appear to have an abnormal growth under his bill. At least, I've not spotted one like it before. Apologies for poor image quality but he was a long way off.

Can somebody tell me what this is?

posie · #2 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 12:34 AM

Hello Simples, very strange, any chance of you seeing him again, was he close to where you live?..Posie..

posie · #3 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 12:36 AM

I wonder if the lower piece is his lower beak and the middle bit is the strange bit...Posie..

posie · #4 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 12:39 AM

and the look in his eye doesn't look quite normal to me, Poor little fellow.

Simples · #5 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by posie

Hello Simples, very strange, any chance of you seeing him again, was he close to where you live?..Posie..

Yes he's a regular but I've never noticed this before - they are quite shy and keep their distance. I have 6 birds (3 pairs) and this is the only one I've seen this on. I think I may have another pic of him, if not I will try to take another.

Simples · #6 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 01:02 AM

Another pic, but not much clearer. I will try and get a better pic next time I see him. The only thing I can think of is like you suggest, maybe there's something in his mouth - a swollen tongue perhaps? I was hoping somebody here had seen this before.

posie · #7 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 01:09 AM

OOOOPS, Now I'm sure that the top bit and bottom bit are his beak and the middle bit is a rather large berry or similar, gettin' me goin' like that, what am I like???....Posie...

Simples · #8 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by posie

OOOOPS, Now I'm sure that the top bit and bottom bit are his beak and the middle bit is a rather large berry or similar, gettin' me goin' like that, what am I like???....Posie...

You sure? He had it in his mouth a long time - it could only be a sunflower seed from my garden, so is he sucking on it?! I've never seen anything like it before. Why would he sit in a tree for five minutes with a huge seed in his mouth?

Usually these birds are to be found on my lawn hoovering up nyjer seed that the goldfinches spill from the feeders. They don't seem to eat anything else when nyjer is available.

I shall keep an eye out for him tomorrow.

posie · #9 (**permalink**) 15-02-2010, 01:16 AM

Sorry our posts overlapped there, now I'm not sure that that is food in his beak,I had wondered about a swollen tongue, as you said,cos if it's food he won't have it all the time, unless it's stuck.