European Robin - Plumage (Israel) (1 Viewer)

[Orvany24]

Hi all. What's wrong with this bird's plumage? Is it a factor of young age or perhaps a disease of some sort?

May 2022.

Thanks in advance

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Hello,
its some kind of damage (maybe caused by some kind of disease).

Your bird is not a young one=it wasnt born in 2022.
Juvenile Robins have

• warm and darkish( orangey)-brown plumage (not greyish and olive-brown as your bird shows on the head)
• juvenile thrush-like spotting, also on the breast with orange feathers appearing, then resulting in some kind of shining truogh=appearing effect. An adult/juvenile mixture impression is more rare. I hope thats understandable

 

[Orvany24]

Hello,
its some kind of damage (maybe caused by some kind of disease).

Your bird is not a young one=it wasnt born in 2022.
Juvenile Robins have

• warm and darkish( orangey)-brown plumage (not greyish and olive-brown as your bird shows on the head)
• juvenile thrush-like spotting, also on the breast with orange feathers appearing, then resulting in some kind of shining truogh=appearing effect. An adult/juvenile mixture impression is more rare. I hope thats understandable

Thanks very much. Could it also be just a regular molting process of a healthy bird?

 

[Butty]

Without checking... Too early for moult as far as I know - and you don't normally see birds looking as patchy as this.

 

[Edwin Sapatsch]

Possibly severe parasite infestation, Mallophaga ? The 'Downy parts of the feathers seem to nave been eaten away. Not looking at all healthy poor thing.

 

[Richard Prior]

Possibly severe parasite infestation, Mallophaga ? The 'Downy parts of the feathers seem to nave been eaten away. Not looking at all healthy poor thing.

That could explain why it’s still in Israel in May as well!

 

[Orvany24]

That could explain why it’s still in Israel in May as well!

That could very well be the reason, although E. Robins do spend the summer here in small numbers.

 

[Richard Prior]

That could very well be the reason, although E. Robins do spend the summer here in small numbers.

Oh, thanks Orvany, I didn’t know that, I know we never saw one after March in Leb.