Watch for:
- Birds with crusty, red, swollen eyes.
- Birds that appear blind in one or both eyes.
Facts:
- Affects many species, not just House Finches. I have witnessed this disease in California Towhees, Evening Grosbeak, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Juncos.
- Some birds heal on their own, but many go blind and die from depredation or starvation.
Preventative action:
- Clean and disinfect feeders. Be sure to clean feeders regularly.
- Don't allow wet seed to clump and mold inside feeder. Use a rain cover or bring feeders inside during rainy weather.
- Rake ground below feeders.
- Take down feeders for awhile to let sick birds disperse.
Further reading:
https://feederwatch.org/learn/house-finch-eye-disease/
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| Dark-eyed Junco in the beginning stage of House Finch Eye Disease |
