Help- is this Avian Pox?

jaelen · #1 (**permalink**) 27-10-2011, 09:22 AM

We had a goldfinch on the feeder yesterday, and my boyfriend grabbed his camera and got some hazy shots of it through a double-glazed window. It wasn't until we uploaded the photos that we realised that the bird has some odd, wart-like growths around it's eyes.

I've looked up images of avian pox- and it doesn't look anything like that, or mycoplasmal conjunctivitis... but I'm worried it might possibly be something in the early stages, and I know that the RSPCB have asked to be informed of any sightings, if that's what it is.

I've taken the niger seed feeder down to be disinfected.

Sorry about the poor quality of the photos- I had to enlarge them to make the warts more visible, and they are a bit out of focus.

fluff11 · #2 (**permalink**) 27-10-2011, 08:34 PM

Goldfinch looks like a perfectly healthy specimen to me, pox is usually evident around nostrils and puffiness around the eyes.

Farplace · #3 (**permalink**) 27-10-2011, 09:03 PM

Are they small ticks?

hank · #4 (**permalink**) 27-10-2011, 09:37 PM

Here's a Goldfinch with a tick. I think ticks just fill up with blood and then drop off.

Goldfinch With A Tick On Its Face - YouTube

Shrike · #5 (**permalink**) 27-10-2011, 09:50 PM

you can put your feeders back up now

no seriously i never used to think about bird hygiene on our feeding stations but it is a serious matter.

Dogghound · #6 (**permalink**) 28-10-2011, 07:39 AM

Its a female, they usually tend to be a little more drab around the face. Goldfinch especially females often show white or yellow flecking into the red on the face.Its most likely that these are new feathers, or feather sheaths rather than growths.

jaelen · #7 (**permalink**) 28-10-2011, 08:08 AM

Thanks everyone- that is reassuring, because I was seriously concerned! I'd looked at all the pictures of birds with various types of pox in Google images, (horrible- I don't recommend it if you don't have to

) and was thinking I was going to have to take all my feeders down. We've only just started to get a nice variety of birds in the garden, and I was dreading having to do that.

Oh, no- I've just counted them all... twelve feeders- and two more I'm mending still to go up. Didn't realise there were so many.

Am turning into batty mad woman.

Farplace · #8 (**permalink**) 28-10-2011, 08:36 AM

A total of 14 feeders.....? No thats not nearly enough to count you as a batty mad woman!! Must try harder!

actionfinch · #9 (**permalink**) 29-10-2011, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaelen

Thanks everyone- that is reassuring, because I was seriously concerned! I'd looked at all the pictures of birds with various types of pox in Google images, (horrible- I don't recommend it if you don't have to

) and was thinking I was going to have to take all my feeders down. We've only just started to get a nice variety of birds in the garden, and I was dreading having to do that.

Oh, no- I've just counted them all... twelve feeders- and two more I'm mending still to go up. Didn't realise there were so many.

Am turning into batty mad woman.

I dont feel so bad now.. with 4 hanging feeders and 3 tables of all types...
phew....i thought i was on my own.. cheers..