Hi. I wonder if anyone can advise.
We have a ringed robin coming to our garden who has been visiting the garden on a daily basis for a year. He was the main robin coming to our garden until most recently when we can have up to 6 robins in the garden at one time. He was holding precious territory - our greenhouse which has a plate of bird food in on a daily basis during winter.
The past week he has been very fluffed up and gaping. We have been wondering if he is unwell, but he is flying around fine and eating. We were wondering if his fluffiness and gaping could be defensive. He comes down very close to us to feed and even then is fluffed, open beaked and breathing quite heavily at times. He did seem to be coughing slightly the other day, but haven't heard this since. So trying to work out if it is defensive behavior or an unwell bird.
We've not been able to get a good enough photo of his ring to work out where or when he was ringed.
Any thoughts?
Hi Clare and welcome to the forum, sorry you haven't had a reply, not so many folk on here at present ... am no expert but it does seem that your Robin could be unwell, possible Avian flu? ... have you seen him today?
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Hi Clare, that doesn't sound too good. I had a Robin with similar symptoms a few years ago, it also had mucus in its beak. I only saw it once after that. If you keep feeding it the at least you are giving it a chance.
Unicum arbustum haud alit duos erithacos
(One bush does not shelter two Robins)
Zenodotus (3rd Century B.C.)
Thank you Wendy and thank you for your welcome to the forum. Unfortunately he does seem to have disappeared. I was out in the garden on Wednesday and he came down to feed but another robin jumped straight on him and he tucked himself in a bush in our neighbours garden and stayed there. He was still flying about okay and chasing the other robins up until then, and feeding. I'm hoping he's maybe just moved on to another garden as he was being chased so much.
Thanks MonkeyChase. I did notice the other day a little bit of mucus in his beak. Unfortunately he does seem to have disappeared. I was out in the garden on Wednesday and he came down to feed but another robin jumped straight on him and he tucked himself in a bush in our neighbours garden and stayed there. He was still flying about okay and chasing the other robins up until then, and feeding. I'll pop across to our neighbours and have a look around just incase.
Thanks for the update Clare, do hope he is ok!