Juvenile greenfinch - diseased? (1 Viewer)

stevetb

Registered user

• May 20, 2007

• #1

Can anyone tell me whats wrong with this greenfinch?
Thanks in advance!

 

Last edited: Apr 21, 2008

N

Nigel Davies

Well-known member

• May 20, 2007

• #2

Hi AC/DC
If the Greenfinchers were lively, feeding etc, it looks as if it might be a bad case of mites,although this happens more often in birdboxes that haven't been cleaned out properly then with birds like finchers that are nest builders.
All the best Nigel

 

stevetb

Registered user

• May 20, 2007

• #3

Thanks for the info. It was just this greenfinch that had this. The mother and father were not infected.

 

KnockerNorton

Well-known member

• May 21, 2007

• #4

First thing, it's not a juvenile, it's possibly a first year but either way it's definately of breeding age. And therein lies the answer, it hasn't got any disease or infection, it's simply been in a fight and has lost the feathers on the cheek. Aside from that, there is no damage or infection by the look of it.

 

stevetb

Registered user

• May 21, 2007

• #5

cheers for that. i just assumed it was young because it was with an adult male and female, and was paler and more streaked than these.

 

KnockerNorton

Well-known member

• May 22, 2007

• #6

First years are a bit streaky until they moult in their 2nd summer. If this bird were a juvenile of this year it would be *very* streaky, not be half as green as it is, and, this early in the year, it would show traces of a yellow gape at the corners of the mouth. I'd say it was probably a 1 year old female.