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Mary Shupe-Moore
Smoky Lake County, AB, Canada
I have had about 5 Pine Grosbeaks that have been acting strangely. Their eyes look normal, but they are all fluffed up. I have found 3 roosting on the ground. I am able to approach them quite easily and I am sure I could pick them up. I can tell how long they have been sitting there, by the amount of droppings around them. Sometimes they try to fly away if I approach them, but they cannot fly normally. They sort of flit about, like a butterfly and do not go very far, and usually end up on the ground again. Even though they are in an area with lots of trees and shrubs. I have also had a couple try to fly into the my window late at night, approximately 10pm.
Sick behavior
I wish someone had an answer. I am encountering the same thing in southeast Alaska at our home. Looks and sounds exactly what you are experiencing.
Hi, Birds that are puffed-up birds that do not move much are definitely showing signs of some sickness, though there are many different diseases that can produce this behavior. Our advice is to minimize the risk of infecting other birds by cleaning your feeder area thoroughly. If you see several sick birds, take down all your feeders for at least a week to give the birds a chance to disperse. Remember that prevention is the key to avoiding the spread of disease. You should regularly clean your feeders even when there are no signs of disease. -Holly Faulkner, Project Assistant
Poor little guys. Beautiful photo by the way.
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