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Birding/Sparrow with no eyes

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Expert: - 3/14/2010


Question

bird picture
We found this bird on our deck, it's a sparrow with a red head and wings ( we are thinking this is what it is anyway). He was there for about 2 hours, not flying away. He can fly, when we walked up to it it flew for a few feet. However, if didn't fly again when we were trying to direct it to the seeds we put out for it. When we looked close, we found he has no eyes? We don't think it's a baby bird since he has feathers. Both eyes appear to have been gouged out? It is trying to peck at food, but can't see it so he isn't getting any.
Is there anything we can do for this bird?
Thanks!

Answer
This is a House Finch with conjunctivitis. Since January 1994, House Finches have been detected with a disease called mycoplasmal conjunctivitis that causes respiratory problems and red, swollen eyes. It can kill House Finches directly or make them easy prey.  It’s not harmful to humans, but it has spread rapidly through the eastern House Finch population and into the West.This is what the bird has, rather than missing eyes.
Only a vet can treat the bird as it requires the simultaneous application of three different antibiotics.
You need to disinfect your bird feeders or where ever birds congregate as this is a very infectious disease and spreads easily, but as I said, it is not dangerous to people.
Thanks for your concern.

Roger Lederer

Expertise

Any and all about WILD birds - the science of ornithology. Information about birdwatching, ecology, conservation, migration, behavior, banding, rehabilitation, feeding, songs, binoculars, identification, and careers in ornithology. No questions about pet or caged birds, please.

Experience

Have a PhD and over forty years as a professional ornithologist - research, teaching, author, speaker, webmaster of Ornithology.com . Have written thirty scientific papers, three bird field guides, a textbook in ecology and two recent books entitled "Amazing Birds" and "Birds of New England". Have traveled to over 90 countries watching birds.

Education/Credentials
PhD in Zoology/Ornithology; Emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences; former Dean of the College of Natural Sciences at California State University, Chico

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