He doesn't seem to be weak. He is eating and can fly. So hopefully he will be okay.
As recommended on the Cornell Lab website, I sent the photos to the National Wildlife Health Center and got the following response:
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Hello Ms. McClintock,
Thank you for contacting us with your question regarding the unusual growth on the dove from your backyard. I have reviewed the photos and it appears to be consistent with a avian pox lesion. Its eyes do appear more sunken that I have seen before which may be an illusion due to ruffling of the feathers around its head. It was hard to gauge from the photos the overall body condition of this bird to know if this animal was thin which may also cause the eyes to appear sunken. Topical avian pox rarely kills birds unless the growths begin to interfere with the ability to feed. For more information on avian pox, you can access the information on our website at http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/disease_information/other_diseases/avian_pox.jsp or http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/chapter_19.pdf.
It is always a good practice to routinely clean and disinfect your birdfeeders to reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases among birds. I hope this answers your questions.
Thanks,
Anne E Ballmann, DVM, PhD
Wildlife Disease Specialist
USGS National Wildlife Health Center
