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Fat finches in the garden today

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had a couple of hours bird watching from the kitchen today, first bit of time to do so this year and really pleased to see so many varieties including a robin, lots of goldfinches, sparrows, greenfinch, bullfinches and jackdaws etc

one of the greenfinches was huge (as was one of the goldfinches), I mean the size of a tennis ball. Stupid question, is it just pregnant?  Do pregnant birds get visibly bigger?

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  • p00hsticks
    p00hsticks Posts: 14,430 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I'm no expert, but it could be that they are suffering from salmonellosis, which finches are particularly susceptible to and (among other diseases) apparently causes them to puff up their feathers. If it is, take care when handling any bird feeders etc  https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/disease/salmonellosis

  • gamston
    gamston Posts: 693 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    noticed a few birds like this this winter around about 12, 
    I didn't noticed any last year
  • Possibly Trichomonosis.
    This affected thousands of the Finch family about 5 or 6 years ago.
    It was awful to see the infected birds, the most obvious sign that I recognised was the larger body size, inability to eat - leading to lethargy, and shaking their head.


  • longwalks1
    longwalks1 Posts: 3,825 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Thanks all, quite sad to see if it is all illness/infection.  Poor things. I clean all my feeders every few days, hopefully wont see too much of it this spring and summer

  • gamston
    gamston Posts: 693 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    think I've had up to 20 little dead birds this winter (never seen it before) green finches, chaffinches, blue tits, not sure if its the feeders as squarrils feed from aswell and they look ok
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