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Derek Slater | all galleries >> Animals and Birds >> Misfits > testing30.jpg
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18-NOV-2006

testing30.jpg

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I keep seeing male Chaffinches with deformed feet / legs here ; not sure if it is the same bird or different ones. Not seen this elsewhere.
Cropped images (about 25%) taken with DSLR to be compared with last years to see if anything has changed.


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Leon Corrall 03-Aug-2008 11:34
Hi Derek, Are you still curious about this condition ? I've seen it quite a bit here in Devon, and today I saw it on both chaffinches and bullfinches, so decided to search the web, coming across your thread. There are various opinions, the most erudite source would suggest it is a "Papilliomavirus", which whilst handicapping the bird is not in itself fatal.
Derek Slater18-Nov-2006 22:06
That was quick John; I was just editing the text. I first saw this bird (or one very similar) at this place last winter. I am not actually sure if it is a one-off or if there may be more of them like it. The little blighters wont stay still long enough ! :-). I will be keeping an eye out in the near future to see if there are any more. I don't recall seeing any feet like this anywhere else. The bird seems to get about quite well though he does have a perculiar double-footed hop.
John Cooper18-Nov-2006 21:56
What is wrong with its feet Derek ? is this common ?