Just thought I might warn people of this rather nasty disease which seems to be on the increase. It's a parasitic infection, called avian trichomoniasis, particularly affecting greenfinches and chaffinches, though house sparrows and other finch species are also susceptible. The Garden Bird Health initiative (GBHi), a three-year project to investigate causes of garden bird mortality wants to know about the spread of this disease. If you find a dead garden bird or see signs of disease, please do not touch it, but ring 020 7449 6685.
A number of dead greenfinches and one chaffinch has been found in our village and other greenfinches have been seen lethargic and all puffed up, a sign of the disease.
