Question for a Dr. Pol

[Jessie]

We had a goldfinch on the feeder 2 days ago.
One of my dogs was sniffing it. That’s not right....
Turned out that it was mostly blind with something that had completely closed one eye and had the other at a small slit.
It could barely fly, which almost cost it its life.
It made it to the fence where I took the pics. I considered getting my .22 and keeping it from starving or dying of thirst.
In the end I didn’t want to play God and let it be.
Today it’s here with one good eye and trying to get the funk out of the other. Looks much healthier.
I am glad that I didn’t shoot it.
A higher authority spoke
I almost forgot the question for a doctor/ vet.
What causes that in birds? It’s not the first time I’ve seen it, but it is the first time I’ve witnessed one recover

 

[Watchdog]

Possibly some sort of parasitic infection? Birds are bad to get parasites. Maybe mites, I don't know. Never seen this, myself.

 

[ACORN]

I had a sparrow a couple years back that was the same way. Just stood on the ground. I checked it out and it had both eyes nearly closed. Like you I left it be. I don't know if it recovered. I read that there was a disease that was going around that caused this. I can't remember much else about it, though.

 

[Stevens]

I seem to remember some chickens we were raising when I was a kid used to get something similar. My Dad used to scrub or scrape it off they seemed Ok in the long run. Google "Avian Pox" says it is often spread to chickens by wild bird populations.
Steve W

 

[armorer951]

I see this disease quite often in my area.


"Birds infected with House Finch eye disease (also called Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) have red, swollen, runny, or crusty eyes. In extreme cases the eyes become swollen shut and the bird becomes blind. House Finch eye disease is caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum. This bacterium has long been known as a pathogen of domestic turkeys and chickens, but it has been observed in House Finches since 1994. The disease has affected several other species, including American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak, and Purple Finch."


Sick Birds and Bird Diseases - FeederWatch