My Robin's Ill (1 Viewer)

songbird6666 · Nov 22, 2004

My tame robin who lives in the back garden is poorly, he's all puffed up and sitting on the bath most of the time,(it' nearly 60f outside today) it's heartbreaking. He has eaten a broken up peanut, and a bit of worm, but wasn't overly interested. I just feel so helpless, not being able to do anything for him.

Just took this picture of him, maybe the last time I see him I fear |=(|

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/flicker1/sickrob1.jpg

trishhickson · Nov 22, 2004

Oh, that is so sad. You do feel so helpless dont you.Nature can be so cruel.

dylan · Nov 22, 2004

I've had very friendly Robins in my garden & really miss an individual when they are no longer around. I hope your Robin is ok, maybe treat him to some mealworms.

christine · Nov 24, 2004

Aw, he's beautiful, had a similar experience with a young Nuthatch once, he just sat on the ground looking poorly, even started to topple forward a bit too, thoght he was a gonner but he just perked up all of a sudden and was as right as rain. Lets hope the same happens with your Robin eh?

Christine

stozza · Nov 24, 2004

when i went to a falconry day out. a graet grey owl wasnt well at all or so it seemed. until it satrted coughing up stones birds do this every now and again it is to clean their stomachsout so that is what it could of done. it may of just swolled little pebbles so hopefully everything will be ok. :news:

Henry B · Nov 24, 2004

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but it is more likely to be E-coli, hope i,m wrong though.

songbird6666 · Nov 26, 2004

He's gone. I saw him the following day, and he looked a bit perkier, so was full of hope. Then nothing yesterday. Today there was a robin on the fence, and hopping onto the bird table, I went out all excited, and it flew off. It wasn't my tame one, he would let me almost touch him. So another one has taken over his territory already. :-C

Kiscokid · Dec 5, 2004

I have a robin in my back garden who doesnt look particularly healthy - he is always twitching and looks to be fairly slow and breathing quite heavily.....is this normal behaviour or is he/she too on the decline I wonder?

helenol · Dec 5, 2004

Take a look at the following pics. A greenfinch this week in the garden. Although he continued to feed and drink water, he didn't last very long, and on the last day he was twitching frequently, preferring to keep his head under his wing.

Take a look also at the thread I started re sick finch

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=26964

Nightranger · Dec 5, 2004

songbird said:
My tame robin who lives in the back garden is poorly, he's all puffed up and sitting on the bath most of the time,(it' nearly 60f outside today) it's heartbreaking. He has eaten a broken up peanut, and a bit of worm, but wasn't overly interested. I just feel so helpless, not being able to do anything for him.

Just took this picture of him, maybe the last time I see him I fear |=(|

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v291/flicker1/sickrob1.jpg

Hi songbird,

This is probably not the same thing as Helen's greenfinch because robins are not thought to be vulnerable to food poisoning. I should explain before everyone starts to panic. Greenfinches and to a lesser extent, goldfinches, chaffinches and siskins are vulnerable to salmonella poisoning and house sparrows to a strain of E.coli. Robins are predatory and it seems that they may have some latent resistance to food poisoning although they can still contract other diseases (as this bird probably has). Please do not panic if you see anything like this happening because it is unlikely to have started in garden feeders. We are getting closer to establishing where this is coming from but I will just say that it is environmental for now. If you do see multiples of sick birds, please telephone myself or one of my Wildlife Enquiries colleagues, as we are monitoring this type of thing. In the menatime, clean feeders, water bowls, and feeding stations a little more often than normal to prevent the possibility of spreading the disease. This may sound a bit alarmist but it is a good way of ensuring your own peace of mind.

Ian

songbird6666 · Dec 5, 2004

Ian Peters said:
Hi songbird,

This is probably not the same thing as Helen's greenfinch because robins are not thought to be vulnerable to food poisoning. I should explain before everyone starts to panic. Greenfinches and to a lesser extent, goldfinches, chaffinches and siskins are vulnerable to salmonella poisoning and house sparrows to a strain of E.coli. Robins are predatory and it seems that they may have some latent resistance to food poisoning although they can still contract other diseases (as this bird probably has). Please do not panic if you see anything like this happening because it is unlikely to have started in garden feeders. We are getting closer to establishing where this is coming from but I will just say that it is environmental for now. If you do see multiples of sick birds, please telephone myself or one of my Wildlife Enquiries colleagues, as we are monitoring this type of thing. In the menatime, clean feeders, water bowls, and feeding stations a little more often than normal to prevent the possibility of spreading the disease. This may sound a bit alarmist but it is a good way of ensuring your own peace of mind.

Ian

Thanks Ian, the good news (I haven't been back on here for a few days) is I think, am 99% sure, that my robin is okay. If not, then another tame one has appeared in his old territory (how on earth can we tell one from another?) I have three altogether around, I can hear them at dusk singing to each other in the trees, but my little man has been coming down to the bird table at the back garden, whilst my hand is still there putting his robin food and sultanas down. I am thrilled.

On a sour note regarding the other bit of your message, I would love to phone you about my greenfinch problem here, when would be best, or shall I email you? Its horrendous, and very upsetting.

Kiscokid · Dec 8, 2004

Helen
I've never seen a greenfinch in my garden - then today I have one looking similar to the sick one in your picture .........just sitting on the feeder tray nibbling at the odd seed, its beak looking like its not closing well. This is following on from the robin looking poorly a couple of days ago. It is a bit worrying.......I wonder if the sick finch is a regional Bucks/Oxon thing.

Nightranger · Dec 8, 2004

Kiscokid said:
Helen
I've never seen a greenfinch in my garden - then today I have one looking similar to the sick one in your picture .........just sitting on the feeder tray nibbling at the odd seed, its beak looking like its not closing well. This is following on from the robin looking poorly a couple of days ago. It is a bit worrying.......I wonder if the sick finch is a regional Bucks/Oxon thing.

Hi All,

The RSPB is monitoring salmonella outbreaks, which mainly strikes at greenfinches, goldfinches and siskins. We are also interested in house sparrows, as these are susceptible to E.coli strains. If anyone has these casualties then please get in touch with the Wildlife Enquiries at The Lodge and speak to me or one of my colleagues. I will be in the office until the 16th so if you want to speak to me personally, give me a call and introduce yourself. I am always happy to talk to BF people.

Food poisoning in birds is rarely caused by feeding activities but for peace of mind, it is a good idea to keep everything clean on a daily basis for the duration of the outbreak. In that way, you will be doing your little bit to help stop the spread of the outbreak.

Ian

helenol · Dec 8, 2004

For your info Ian, Kiscokid lives approx. 8/9 miles from me.

Henry B · Dec 8, 2004

phone .

Ian Peters said:
Hi All,

The RSPB is monitoring salmonella outbreaks, which mainly strikes at greenfinches, goldfinches and siskins. We are also interested in house sparrows, as these are susceptible to E.coli strains. If anyone has these casualties then please get in touch with the Wildlife Enquiries at The Lodge and speak to me or one of my colleagues. I will be in the office until the 16th so if you want to speak to me personally, give me a call and introduce yourself. I am always happy to talk to BF people.

Food poisoning in birds is rarely caused by feeding activities but for peace of mind, it is a good idea to keep everything clean on a daily basis for the duration of the outbreak. In that way, you will be doing your little bit to help stop the spread of the outbreak.

Ian

Ian, whats the number to ring?

Nightranger · Dec 8, 2004

Henry B said:
Ian, whats the number to ring?

The number is 01767 680551 and ask for Wildlife Enquiries or me by name.

Ian

walt-m · Dec 8, 2004

Thanks Ian for the phone No and all the info, I have had two H/Sparrows die on my lawn there was no sign of them being injured in anyway, so now I clean all my feeders and tables every night with hot water hope we can get some good news a s p.

Kiscokid · Dec 8, 2004

Unfortunately due to my long working days I can't be cleaning the feeders any more than once or twice a week - when I am studying from home. However in light of this advice I will try to do it as much as possible. Thanks for the advice Ian.

I have just gone out to scout around the area (4pm), cleaned the dish and feeder. The finch which was sat on the ground feeder all PM has now disappeared for the evening.....I will have another look in the morning.

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