Hello!
I am worried about one of my two pairs of chaffinches.
I noticed the male had something on his left foot. Almost as if he had stepped in chewing gum or something. Looked like string or something like that. Now I see that the female has it too :-(
I would be grateful for your thoughts.
Best wishes
Vicky
ps I have two pairs of greenfinches!
Without a photo, it is hard to be definite, but my guess is the growth is: "Fringilla papillomavirus", which is quite common on chaffinches around here.
Have a look at the BTO Growths on legs and feet page, there's a photo on the top right that may help, along with info on the page.
https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/disease/warts
Thank you Mike B. It is as you suggested. I’ve got rid of the ‘platforms’ on my feeding stations now and am trying to keep everything as clean as possible. Both birds seem to be thriving despite their trouble!
Vicky Watson said:Thank you Mike B. It is as you suggested. I’ve got rid of the ‘platforms’ on my feeding stations now and am trying to keep everything as clean as possible. Both birds seem to be thriving despite their trouble!
You're welcome.