8 replies to this topic
#1
Gwanatu
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Gwanatu
Posted 14 May 2012 - 02:32 AM
I've heard of this before when people feed heavily fatty or peanut-butter laden mixes to their birds, but we just feed them a seed blend from Wild Birds Unlimited. I couldn't get a better picture since this one flew off, but I've seen it many times before and it always holds its left leg up while perching. It obviously wasn't doing it the one time when I took this picture. Any ideas on what could be wrong?
#2
fisherman1313
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 02:36 AM
If you're asking about the lump in its throat it may just be a full crop.
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
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Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
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#3
Gwanatu
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 02:42 AM
If you're asking about the lump in its throat it may just be a full crop.
No I mean the feet, sorry if I wasn't clear.
#4
meghann
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suprm2001
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 02:49 AM
He does have some gnarly looking feet, but I'm not sure the cause.
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#5
fisherman1313
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 04:46 AM
Sorry, I did not zoom in close enough to see the feet clearly. I've seen tons of blackbirds, of different species, with similar foot problems. It looks like Scaly Leg, which is caused by mites. Take a look at the Canary at this link, the feet look very similar. http://www.avianweb.com/scaly.html
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
Finally get Mountain Quail and Vesper Sparrow
Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
Latest Lifer(s):Harris's Sparrow, Oka Ponds, Campbell, CA, 1/1/13
Favorite Recent Bird(s):Yellow-breasted Chat, Knights Ferry Rec Area, Knights Ferry, CA, 5/20/13; Blue-winged Teal (Pair), Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling (3),Franklin's Gull (9), Modesto Wastewater Treatment Facility, Modesto, CA, 5/12/13, MacGillivray's Warber, Adair Rd., Modesto, CA, 5/5/13, Long-eared Owl, Mercy Hot Springs, Fresno County, CA, 4/29/13, Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, Panoche Shool, San Benito County, CA, 4/29/13,Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, McHenry Rec Area, Escalon, CA, 4/21/13, Snowy Plover, Modesto Water Treatment Plant, Modesto, CA, 4/14/13, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, San Luis NWR, Merced County, CA, 3/11/13, Eurasian Wigeon, American Bittern, Santa Fe Grade Rd., Merced County,, CA, 3/9/13
#6
spookyjimjams
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spookyjimjams
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 04:02 PM
I knew a guy that worked for a company that "controlled" pigeons. He said that at night they would spread some kind of powder on the ground and the pigeons would walk in it. They have those big fleshy feet, and I guess this poisonous powder would get on their legs and somehow it would make their feet basically fall off. He said that is why you see lots of city pigeons with nasty looking feet. He said eventually the pigeon can't stand and therefore starves to death.
As nasty as this story is, I have no idea if it's true.
This bird may have simply broken a toe.
As nasty as this story is, I have no idea if it's true.
This bird may have simply broken a toe.
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Latest lifer: American Pipit
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#7
Gwanatu
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 05:12 PM
Sorry, I did not zoom in close enough to see the feet clearly. I've seen tons of blackbirds, of different species, with similar foot problems. It looks like Scaly Leg, which is caused by mites. Take a look at the Canary at this link, the feet look very similar. http://www.avianweb.com/scaly.html
This looks exactly like what it is to be honest. After Googling this and seeing the answers I take it there's no real way to fix this on wild birds? I'd love to help them but I'm sure there's far too many if it's not something as simple as changing what we keep in the feeders. I'm just worried about it spreading to other birds in the area.
#8
fisherman1313
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Posted 14 May 2012 - 07:58 PM
Because blackbirds form such huge flocks and such large comunal roosts that is where the mites most likely spread. Regularly cleaning your feeders is about all you can do, but that is just a good practice in general.
New Year's Resolutions:
Get my lifelist to 300 (currently 293)
Finally get Mountain Quail and Vesper Sparrow
Top my previous single year best (2011-253) I'm at 193 as of 5/12.
Latest Lifer(s):Harris's Sparrow, Oka Ponds, Campbell, CA, 1/1/13
Favorite Recent Bird(s):Yellow-breasted Chat, Knights Ferry Rec Area, Knights Ferry, CA, 5/20/13; Blue-winged Teal (Pair), Peregrine Falcon, Sanderling (3),Franklin's Gull (9), Modesto Wastewater Treatment Facility, Modesto, CA, 5/12/13, MacGillivray's Warber, Adair Rd., Modesto, CA, 5/5/13, Long-eared Owl, Mercy Hot Springs, Fresno County, CA, 4/29/13, Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, Panoche Shool, San Benito County, CA, 4/29/13,Lawrwnce's Goldfinch, McHenry Rec Area, Escalon, CA, 4/21/13, Snowy Plover, Modesto Water Treatment Plant, Modesto, CA, 4/14/13, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead, San Luis NWR, Merced County, CA, 3/11/13, Eurasian Wigeon, American Bittern, Santa Fe Grade Rd., Merced County,, CA, 3/9/13
#9
Gwanatu
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Posted 15 May 2012 - 12:35 PM
Because blackbirds form such huge flocks and such large comunal roosts that is where the mites most likely spread. Regularly cleaning your feeders is about all you can do, but that is just a good practice in general.
Sounds good, I'll keep it up.
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