My little friend the Robin

I have a little friend a Robin that has a problem with its mandible, he/she is doing ok, I am feeding it live mealworms and it is getting friendly if it sees me it comes and tells me it wants some food so it looks like I will be looking after this one for a while :)

  • Aw poor wee fellow/misses, it looks like a growth of some sort. At least he/she is still able to eat. I do love the Robins, my fellow is a cheeky chap. Just in from cutting the grass and he follows you about, sitting in the trees waiting. He comes in the garage now and sits on hubbys work bench, left a nice pressie as well. Well he will give him suet pieces!
  • Hi Jim, if that was in a pigeon I should say it was canker and should be treated. It will grow and eventually stop the bird from swallowing food. It can be treated in pigeons, but I've not seen it in a Robin before. I don't think the prognosis is likely to be good.
  • Aww poor robin,  looks like a deformed mandible at the base to me (where the bony plates start to form) but good to hear it can still manage to eat mealworms and well done for keeping it supplied Jim.     If as Paul says it is canker it will need to drink very regularly and the plumage often starts to look damp particularly on the head area and the bird starts to look very fluffed up;  other indicators are bits of food stuck to the bill.    Good luck to this little bird and hope its only mis growth of the bony plates.

  • Thank you Paul, I will just have to keep an eye on it in these difficult times and think of a way to trap if and when the time comes.

    Thanks you Hazel, it is drinking and bathing and so will just have to keep fingers crossed and hope it does not get worse.
  • Good luck with your Robin, JIm. Hope it and you stay well!