Raptors at risk of frounce.

[Tallyho 181]

This may have been a topic befor, i was given some bird mags and while glancing threw spotted this and thought i would relay it,

 

A potentially fatal avian diseass is on the increase the uk, warns Andrew meads of the safewings wildlife conservation project.

Over the period of a year, Mr meads handles a high number of pigeons and doves that suffer from trichomoniasis(canker), but on occasion he also sees wild birds of prey suffering from the equivalent complaint - frounce.

There has been an increase in the number of cases of trichomoniasis in the uk says mr mead, This is having a serious impact on species such as greenfinch, house sparrow and chaffinch, and anyone flying birds of prey for hunting must be aware of the potential risks.

This year there have been reports of two seprate large birds of prey ( with anklets and jesses ) flying free in two different areas of Northants. " Both birds i identified as American redtail hawks that had either escaped or been released from captivity, " says mr meads. "we'd had frequent reports that the birds were hunting and surviving quite well, but sadly on april 9 we recevied a call from a lady asking for help because one of the redtails was just sitting on her lawn with its head under its wing.

"on examination, the bird was excessively light and had little movement. It was a femail redtail and was suffering from the advanced stages of frounce. The bird had been living off the pigeon and dove population in the area and had eaten infected birds. She was untreatble and sadly she soon died.

Mr meads said that he had also got a call from a man in wellingbourgh, reporting that he had caught a bird with anklets and fitted ring, which he thought was perhaps a buzzard.

" the bird was the other redtail and it was also suffering from frounce picked up in an entirely different area, the bird is at present being given twice dailey medication and being hydrated by crop tube every hour. The process of recovery if it occours, will be quite long" The initial signs of frounce are loss of appite, dribbling, lethargy, weight loss and traces of a cheesy substance inside the beak. As it progresses, the bird will regurgitate and flick its food. In advanced stages the bird the bird will show signs of laboured breathing. If untreated, the infected birds will certainlt die. Keepers should be vigilant and refer any similar symptoms to an experienced vet for immediate advise and treatment.

 

sorry if its been put on befor, but thought i better just in case it hadnt.

[Fletcher 0]

Interesting, thanks for that mate.

[chay 0]

i treat my birds for canker with stuff for pigeons does them no harm

[hok boi 40]

would never feed my birds pigeon

[jasper65 6]

Cracking post Tallyho .

 

Its a problem I had this year with a Goshawk! while she was laying she looked Haggard and pretty rough and also flicking food, while I was going in with her I could see the Plaque white lesion in the roof of her mouth and the tip of her tongure was white, thankfully I blitzed it useing FLAGYL antibiotic which was out of date by a year but it still did the job, after a week of this I could see the difference straight away.

 

I'm blaming the Woodies sitting in the trees above the aviaries, I can't think how else she got it as I don't feed pigeon to the Goshawks very often unless frozen first....

 

Cheers

 

Jasper