Sick Pigeons

RobinP · #1 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 10:04 PM

Has anyone else noticed the number of sick looking Woodpigeons around recently? They sit around all hunched up with featers ruffled and not feeding, though they can still fly. Seen about four already this week, is it a diesase spreading?

Farplace · #2 (**permalink**) 27-09-2010, 10:08 PM

I have had several wood pigeons in at the rescue this year ..... they all died.

SpikyPhasmid · #3 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 08:29 AM

I had a feral pigeon perched on my balcony the other morning looking really quite grim. I had to leave for work, and it was moving away if I approached, so I decided to wait and see if it was still there when I came home before trying to interfere with it. It had left, though.
It was hunched up with its feathers askew. It looked damp, but it had been raining, although it looked damper than the other pigeons I saw. It sidled away from me rather than flying off when I approached, but that's not too unusual with the local pigeons. Is this what your wood pigeon looked like?

actionfinch · #4 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 08:43 AM

how strange , i was walking the dog this morning and i approached on on a railling i got right upto it before it took off and flied in a little circle and landed back on the raillings. I notice a taill feather missing and just thought it was have a prune or something.

RobinP · #5 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpikyPhasmid

I had a feral pigeon perched on my balcony the other morning looking really quite grim. I had to leave for work, and it was moving away if I approached, so I decided to wait and see if it was still there when I came home before trying to interfere with it. It had left, though.
It was hunched up with its feathers askew. It looked damp, but it had been raining, although it looked damper than the other pigeons I saw. It sidled away from me rather than flying off when I approached, but that's not too unusual with the local pigeons. Is this what your wood pigeon looked like?

Sounds about right, I thought I also noticed a slight discharge from the beak and the eyes looked glazed.

Robin

Littlesparrow · #6 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 02:04 PM

I understand that pigeons can get Trichomonsis which is a single cell parasite ,see the RSPB site for more information, it is a very nasty illness that can spread among finches and other birds. salmonella is another nasty which can be found in bad quality bird seed.
pigeons all seem well in cheshire.

healfdan · #7 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 07:22 PM

A few years ago I observed several wood pigeons looking listless and with mouths agape. On closer inspection of two very sickly birds we found a yeast like substance in their throats. The condition was diagnosed as trichomoniasis.

Steve_In_Cheshire · #8 (**permalink**) 28-09-2010, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Littlesparrow

I understand that pigeons can get Trichomonsis which is a single cell parasite ,see the RSPB site for more information, it is a very nasty illness that can spread among finches and other birds. salmonella is another nasty which can be found in bad quality bird seed.
pigeons all seem well in cheshire.

Trichomoniasis is a really nasty disease, we've had a couple of outbreaks of the disease and you feel helpless knowing that their is very little you can do.

The first signs of this are a swollen throat which inflames really badly in no time at all, you will then see the birds choking when they try to eat anything and they end up coughing the food back up onto the floor. Their feathers then start to get very rough and dishevelled, you will also spot the bird with its beak open where it looks like its struggling for air.

Eventually they become too weak to fly off due to lack of food, if you can walk right upto one which has often been the case with us in the past then its very ill and doesn't have long left.

We have seen this in pigeons and doves, if you see any signs of Trichomoniasis then get rid of all your water and food from the garden, the parasite can be passed on through the infected birds saliva so that means it can end up in the bathing and drinking water, also the parasite can end up on any food it coughs back up which means another bird could come along and pick that food up and if its a pigeon, dove or a finch it can get infected.

Its sickening to watch a bird struggle with this disease.