After ten years of disease free feeding stations I now have the first case of Trichomonosis in a Goldfinch.
This bird is a classic case of the disease, and has been seen for three days now, as far as I can tell it is the same bird and I have only witnessed one bird with this issue.
My feeders and tables are cleaned on a regular basis, I also issue a print out with any feeders that I sell, this explains the problems of hygiene around bird feeders, and have tried to pass the word locally regarding this problem.
If there is an obvious spread of the disease I will shut the feeding stations down for a couple of weeks as a high concentration of birds can help spread this condition.
In conclusion we have had very mild weather and high counts of Goldfinch this year so it is possible this maybe a one off, has anyone else seen any diseased birds this year.
I have handled several hundred of each of these finch species in the last 3 years - Greenfinch(300+), Goldfinch(100+), Siskin(250+), L Redpoll(300+) and Chaffinch(100+) and have never seen even a sign of this reported disease. And i generally have a good look at them too.
Thanks for your response, I do tend to agree, this is the first case I have seen since a serious out break I witnessed in 2006 in the Mersey valley area, that involved only Greenfinch and Chaffinch.
The disease seemed to have run its course by 2009, if your read BTO atlas 2007/2011 numbers of above were in decline but seem to have recovered although there are other mitigating circumstances.
It appears that Goldfinch were never affected as much as the above two species, I just feel responsible as this bird is poorly at my feeders and hope that if the parasite is evident here I can eradicate as quickly as possible, I will carry out an extra clean tomorrow at all my sites.
I have seen a male chaffinch with growths on it's feet this year, probably caused by chaffinch viral papilloma, which is apparently not life threatening. The bird seems healthy otherwise and no other birds so far have been affected.
Having read up on trichomonosis a bit more this year I think we have had the odd greenfinch in the past with this disease, but so far this year things have been ok. It is a worry for me as finches predominate at our feeders. Greenfinch numbers have dropped off though in recent years. We used to get around 60 greenfinches in the past, whereas the most I've seen this year is 17. Goldfinch numbers have increased greatly though, with 65 being the highest count so far. Chaffinch numbers seem to remain stable though.
Already seen Trichomonosis in the garden this year in a Greenfinch. I have reported it every year since 2004 to the BTO. I sent a Collared Dove off a few years back to London zoo for an autopsy and this also had it. Not as easily noted in this species.
The advice I was given is
For two weeks initially stop feeding altogether
If it is noted again after this period when feeding stop for as long as the birds disperse so as to stop the chance of spread through unnatural gatherings at feeders.
This disease has now been found on the continent as birds migrate back from the UK.
I fear this is possibly exasperated by the garden bird feeding.
WASH your hands thoroughly after touching feeders etc.
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