On Thursday, September 10th I noticed a Spotted Towhee in the yard that had an abnormal look to the area around its right eye. I took pictures and have posted 2 to my Flickr account. I am posting here in Tweeters in case there is anyone who is tracking bird health issues who might be interested to know about it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/danenewarnock/

We normally have several pairs of Towhees in the yard (including a handsome male with leucistic markings on its head, pictures of which can be found in my leucistic birds album), and this year there were a couple of batches of young ones joining the adults throughout the summer. This is the first time I have ever seen anything like what is on this poor bird, on any bird. And although I would like to, I am unable to look out the window at the yard birds for hours every day, and although keeping an eye out when I can, have not noticed this particular Towhee since Thursday.

We do have a very active juvenile Cooper's Hawk that regularly makes passes at the small birds (see it in the yard/ neighborhood nearly daily, various pics in the Flickr account) as well as what ever other accidents can befall a bird. I am hoping it was an injury and not something catching that might be spread to the other birds, although I am not knowledgeable enough to be able to tell.

Dee Warnock
Edmonds



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