Submitted by Steve on 13:32, 21st Mar, 2017 | 0

The GSPCA has been made aware of a number of wild birds being seen as well as rescued birds coming into the Shelter with ailments that could likely be Trichomonosis .

Trichomonosis is the name given to a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae. The disease is also known as ‘canker’ when seen in pigeons and doves, and as ‘frounce’ when seen in birds of prey. It has been known as a disease of cage birds for some time.

The GSPCA have recently rescued pigeons and wood pigeons which have been treated for canker although sadly a wood pigeon that was rescued yesterday passed away shortly after arriving due to its ailments.

Species affected include pigeons, doves and birds of prey and since 2005 it was first noted in British finches. Epidemics of the disease occurred in 2006 and 2007, with smaller scale mortality events noted in subsequent years.

Greenfinches and Chaffinches are the species that have been most frequently affected, but the disease has also been documented in other garden bird species, including House Sparrow, Dunnock, Great Tit and Siskin.

In the last week we have had reports of birds showing symptoms of Trichomonosis in Guernsey including possible Chaffinches, Goldfinches and House Sparrows.

Some of the possible areas  affected have been Moulin Huet valley, Les Vardes area of St Peter Port, Route de Pulias in St Sampsons to mention three of the areas we have had reports.

Trichomonas typically causes disease at the back of the throat and in the gullet. Affected birds show signs of general illness, lethargy, fluffed-up plumage and may show difficulty in swallowing or laboured breathing.

Some individuals may have wet plumage around the bill and drool saliva or regurgitate food that they cannot swallow. In some cases, swelling of the neck may be evident. The disease may progress over several days or even weeks.

The infection is spread as birds feed one another with regurgitated food during the breeding season, and through food and drinking water contaminated with regurgitated saliva. Saliva can also contaminate a birdbath.

Trichomonosis causes lesions in the throat of the infected bird, which makes it progressively harder for the bird to swallow its food, and eventually breathe.

The trichomonad parasite cannot survive for long periods outside of the host. Transmission is most likely to be through contaminated food or water, e.g. where a bird with difficulty swallowing regurgitates food that is then eaten by another individual. 

Trichomonas gallinae is a parasite of birds and does not pose a health risk to humans or their mammalian pets.

What you we can all do to help birds in Guernsey:

If a number of birds show symptoms, it is recommended to stop putting out all food and leave bird baths dry for at least three weeks. This helps to disperse the feeding birds and reduce the contact between sick and healthy individuals, thus slowing down the outbreak.  The higher the concentration of birds at a feeding station, the greater the chance of another bird picking up an infected food particle and exposing itself to the infection.

There are also a few other actions you can take to help:

-                 Use feeders with drainage holes to avoid moisture building up

-                 Use more than one feeding site to reduce the number of birds in one place

-                 Rotate feeders around several locations to ‘rest’ each spot to prevent build up of infection on the ground underneath.

-                 Clean and disinfect feeders and water baths regularly, rinsing thoroughly and allowing to air dry completely – this itself will kill some diseases

-                 Keep the bucket and brush you clean feeders with outside and using just for this purpose

-                 Sweep up droppings and spilt or old food and disposing of it carefully in an outside bin

-                 Change the water in baths frequently – ideally daily

-                 Wash your hands carefully afterwards

No effective treatment can be administered to birds in the wild, because it is impossible to ensure that the infected individuals receive an adequate dose and that healthy birds do not pick up the medicine.

In the UK greenfinches are reported most frequently, but potentially any bird can be infected, including pigeons and doves and some birds of prey. The trichomonad parasite lives in the upper digestive tract of the bird, and its actions progressively block the bird’s throat making it unable to swallow food, thus killing it by starvation.  

It is always advisable to practise good hygiene around feeding stations and bird baths - Wild birds can be affected by a variety of diseases, and deaths of garden birds may be caused by other organisms such as Salmonellae. We sell a disinfectant called Anigene at the GSPCA which is ideal to wash feeding stations with and we use at the Animal Shelter.

If you wish to report finding dead garden birds, or signs of disease in garden birds, we would like to know at the GSPCA so we can pass this information on to the relevant authorities in Guernsey and you can do so to help nationally through Garden Wildlife Health, the BTO online reporting system.

Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said “Over the last week we have had a number of reports and birds being rescued with signs of what appears to be Trichomonosis.”

“It is important we all do what we can to help reduce the risk of this spreading as it can be a slow and unpleasant ailment resulting in death of our wild birds.”

“The main thing we can do is if we feed wild birds and see those visiting showing signs of Trichomonosis to take a break from feeding them and ensure food and water stations are well cleaned and we have some helpful tips online.”

“Two other great sources of information on helping wild birds with Trichomonosis can be found on the BTO and RSPB websites.”

“After a worrying winter with the risk of Avian Flu affecting our feathered friends the GSPCA is appealing for the public to please do all we can to reduce the risks of Trichomonosis to help the birds of Guernsey.”

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