Redpolls

This little guy, was eating, and was using his wings at time for balance, and always fluffed up, Is it a sign he's not feeling well? Or was it just cold? I had another one doing the fluffed up thing and wing spread apart, but wasn't using his wing for balance. All the other ones were not doing that.

Hi Burn,

Yep, the bird ringed in red is Arctic.

That last one doesn't look well, does it! It also has quite a marked white rump so could well be a female/imm Arctic. When I was looking out that NB info earlier, I found a forum thread which mentioned several other cases of Arctic Redpolls being sick; it was suggested that high arctic birds may get less exposure to common temperate bird diseases that other more temperate species resist better. I'll see if I can re-find the site.

Resin

Hmmm . . . it was here, but the relevant post has dropped off the end:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NTNB.html

Resin

Thanks for that link, I was there a few time last week and trying to find out, who to contact. I sent a letter and a few pictures on CD, to Moncton , but didn't get any feedback. I found a site closer to here, in Edmunston N.B. But I'll have to switch to the french name of the birds with them. I'm french, but not as french as them. We mix our french an english pretty bad here. LOL
I didn't find the article you mention about the sick birds, but what you said seem to be right.
Here's the other picture of the 2 birds fluffed up.

Very Nice pics burn!

Thank you Pelle.

glad you like the feeder -- i do to. i put a patio mix of mostly sunflower seeds in two of them and a finer cut of sunflower seeds , thistle and something else in a third one. this is the first time i've put thistle seed in, and i don't like it -- but yes, all different kinds of birds feed at them. this is a grey-crowned rosy finch in one of them last winter.

Excellent photos burn. You sure have your share of redpolls this year don't you? I do think your one little puffed up redpoll is sick. Here are a couple of photos of my sick redpolls in April 2002. Our Ministry of Natural Resources had put out a news release telling people to be careful handling birds & feeders as there was confirmation of salmonellosis in birds. It was reported to be in common redpolls, American goldfinches, pine grosbeaks, house sparrows and pine siskens. It stressed the importance of disinfecting birdfeeders & keeping your dogs & cats away from the birds as they could become sick from eating the dead birds. We were asked to report the sick or dead birds to our local MNR.

My redpolls didn't become sick until the end of March or early April & they would be trying to balance themselves with their wings & eventually just fall over dead. I even picked up a few dead birds in the spruce trees. I must have had about a dozen dead redpolls to dispose of that year. You could even walk right up to them as they sat in the grass. Since 2002 my number of redpolls has reduced drastically but that is possibly due to weather patterns I guess. I used to have over 100 but am now down to about 4. I used to go through 6 - 50lb bags of nyjer seed every winter. I wish you luck & hope you don't lose too many. Maybe it isn't salmonellosis & you just have a sick little redpoll.

#2

#3

I wonder if the nyger seed isn't perhaps a fully balanced diet for them? Maybe some dried berries (cranberries or similar, that they would be used to finding in the wild) might help?

Just speculating, no hard evidence!

Resin

would store bought one be ok. Do they eat raisins? After I washed the feeders,do you think, if I use paroxide for desinfecting would be good for the birds? I haven't done that yet, just wondering. I can think of anything else that would be less harmful. I'll do a scrubbing of the railing on the patio. That might be the source of it.

Thanks broots, and Resin

Hi Resin. I just checked in my 'Bird Feeder's Bible' & it lists birdseed mix, grass seeds, millet, sunflower seeds, black oil or hulled or various weed seeds. I do have a high bush cranberry in my yard but have never noticed them going to it. The few redpolls I have this year are eating the BOSS & millet. I always have suet out too but they don't seem to be into that either. I always leave my echinacea standing over winter & I know the little sparrows eat the seed but don't know about the redpolls. It also states in this book that a salt block is a prime attraction for redpolls. I tried that for two years & never saw a bird anywhere near it.

Hi burn. I always disinfect with water(90%) & chlorine bleach(10%). Rinse them well & let dry before adding seed. I actually came across the original news release I was referring to above.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/Mnr/csb/news/2002/feb7nr02.html

Redpolls loved coming to my window feeder. Just something cheap that I bought at Cdn. Tire. Excuse the window, it is shaded & the seal is broken. This year they aren't coming to it but the blue jays are as I also have peanuts in it. In the attached photo there is BOSS & nyjer. I'm hoping you just have one isolated case & won't have anything to worry about. I disinfected weekly as I was really getting worried by it. Of course just because your feeders are disinfected doesn't mean your neighbours are. Please let us know how you make out.

One of the sick bird came back today. I scrub the railing of the deck this morning. I didn't know, bleach could be use on birds feeders!!!
I read the article , it's not only Redpoll affected, almost all the kinds of birds that visit my yard. Scary. I will certainly keep watch, to see if others develop something.
I have a mix of finch food and Boss, and trail mix in the platform feeders, plus and trail mix and raisins in another one. and niger seeds in the tube feeder. And just Boss, in a big feeder. And suet.

This was taken on the 5th Feb. same day as the sick birds, you can see them feeding with the others.

This was on the 5th again.

Does it seem to just be affecting the Redpolls so far?

On the Feb 2

Just the Redpolls, the others seems to be ok.

This too was on the second of Feb.

This message was edited Feb 9, 2008 12:49 AM

Feb 2

Common Redpoll on the second of Feb.

And the last one for tonight. Again taken on Feb.2

This message was edited Feb 9, 2008 1:04 AM

The pics are very nice!

You stay up late too . Real addicts aren't we? LOL Thanks for compliments. Well, I'll call it a night. sleep well when you get to bed.

Thanks burn;you too!

Would they all be, beside the Pine Grosbeak on the left? The one that is sick, the one up top of that one that is sick, and the first one behind the Grosbeak?

The reason I'm saying the one top of the sick one, it's paler in color, The one behind Grosbeak is bigger with less streaking, and the sick one, you told me , probable female/imm hoary.

Just a reminder, that article was dated Feb. 2002.

Excellent photos. I envy your Redpolls & Pine Grosbeaks. I don't have any of the Pine Grosbeaks this year. Enjoy seeing your photos of them.

I did notice that when you put the link up. :-)

Hi Burn,

I was thinking the ones ringed in red. Of the three, I'm least certain about the top centre.

Resin

Resin, the one up top that you circled, I see him here often, his color on top is really light compare to the other ones. I'll try to find a picture I took of him lately, and post it here. Even on the picture it doesn't come out exactly as I see him, but I made sure to take of picture of that one in particular. Top of his neck is paler then what it shows here.

Broots, Thanks for saying you like my birds. I had notice the article was from 2002. But still wanted to take precaution, and make sure the others don't get sick.

I appreciate the article too. I am suddenly much more careful in how I handle the feeders!

Ooops try this one.

Sybil, I'm thankful for this forum also.

Hi Burn,