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Ken Kneidel
Charlotte, NC, USA
This Brown-headed Cowbird was at my feeder. It was very lethargic. I could walk right up to it. I’m wondering if someone could explain. Two white objects on the left side of its bill. A swollen area with white splashed on feathers above its right eye.
Unusual feathers & bills
Category: Unusual feathers & bills
Ailing Brown-headed Cowbird.
I cannot answer your question but I had a similar grackle the other day. Haven’t seen any grackles all winter and when one finally did appear it, too, had a bunch of white circular marks about its’ head. I wasn’t able to get a picture but the image has stuck in my head. I’m wondering if it could be “avian pox”?
I have a regular male house finch whose head it rather odd – kinda looks like he has horns. It doesn’t seem to have changed since the first time I saw him in December and he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Research led me to think his deformity may also be linked to the pox. Just guessing!
The Grackle might have had a condition known as leucism. Leucism is the partial loss of pigments in an animal which results in white, pale, or pied (patchy) coloration. As for the House Finch, I think avian pox is usually around the bill, legs/feet, and eyes, it might be something else.
I know this is old but I have one at my feeder right now that’s sick. I’m not sure what’s going on but what I will say is that it is presenting exactly like a large group of house finches and goldfinches did last summer at my feeders and they had trichomoniasis. I had to take my feeders down for several weeks and start cleaning them more frequently along with the birdbaths. Guess I’m gonna have to do that again now bc I can’t bare to see more dead birds this year. Just thought I’d post so you are aware of this particular illness in case you see it again.
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