Hi tweeters,

I've noticed that several of the (female) house finches that visit my
feeders (at home and here at Microsoft) have lumps on their cheeks or
the tops of their heads. Often the skin shows on the ones on their
cheeks (where the feathers are shortest, I imagine) - but not on the
ones on their heads. Any idea what that might be all about? Is this
just scar tissue from battles won, or are they sick? Or is something
else going on?

- Joseph Pentheroudakis