Subject: [Tweeters] Sick Pine Siskins?
Date: Feb 6 11:12:50 2012
From: Dennis Paulson - dennispaulson at comcast.net


Dusty,

Pine Siskins and other finches are well known to be susceptible to salmonella infections, which they pass on when they come to feeders. Lethargy is often a sign of this. Cleaning your feeders very often will help prevent this, but infection seems to be relatively easy. You can read up on this online. It's much more likely than poisoning, but still a consequence of our own actions by causing the birds to concentrate at a feeding source where contagion is enhanced.

Dennis

On Feb 6, 2012, at 10:40 AM, Christine Southwick wrote:

> Pine Siskins are relatively tame, during cold weather. I was banding birds yesterday, and was able to take one out of the net and place it on a bird feeder, where it sat and eat for a while. I slowly moved away and it watched me, but didn't move. I have had this experience at two difference yards.
>
> I can think of three different things that could be happening.
>
> 1. When it is cold outside, they seem to be extra tame--unwilling to fly away until the last moment. But they aren't fluffed up like they are cold.
>
> 2. They may be eating old fruit--small crabapples, berries of pyracantha, rose hips, etc. that are fermented.
>
> 3. They may have eaten spoiled seed--they seem susceptible to diseases from feeders. I always check mine extra in the winter when it has been wet, especially snow, as that will drain into feeders. Usually, if they are sick they are fluffed up and lethargic.
>
> It sounds like you are doing the right thing. If you do find one that is really fluffed up, and acting sick, put it in a box by itself to warm up.
>
>
>
> Christine Southwick
> N Seattle/Shoreline
> clsouthwick at q.com
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> On Mon, 6 Feb 2012, tweeters at innerlodge.com wrote:
>
>> Date: Mon, 6 Feb 2012 10:08:15 -0800
>> From: tweeters at innerlodge.com
>> Reply-To: birdman at innerlodge.com
>> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> Subject: [Tweeters] Sick Pine Siskins?
>> G'day all;
>>
>> I just wanted to drop you all a note to find out if what I have is typical or unusual.
>> We have, here on a hill above Granite Falls, a lot of Pine Siskins. But of late it
>> seems that something appears to be wrong with them. We find them sitting on the ground,
>> apparently either unafraid of us or unwilling to move.
>>
>> If I didn't know better, I'd say they'd been poisoned. They seem lethargic and will let
>> you pick them up with little fuss. I've been putting them in a small box, on a ledge.
>> In the sun so they can warm-up/stay-warm. After a while, when I look they're gone. I
>> just want to keep them away from dogs & other terrestrial predators and such. We have
>> large windows, and have had some strikes. But with help from some of you, here, we
>> thought we had that pretty well in hand. But still, we find some nearby that act all
>> goofy.
>>
>> We've had lots of them all winter long, but these odd ones of late have me worried. We
>> don't use poisons, and none of our close neighbors do either. So we're not sure what's
>> going on. Any tips or enlightenment from you all would be most appreciated. Anything
>> to look for or observe in order to better diagnose what I'm seeing would also be most
>> appreciated.
>>
>> TIA,
>> Dusty
>> On a hill NW of Granite Falls, WA
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
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-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net