Re: Starling trying to feed in garden, unable to close beak

P.S.: I forgot to add that the bird is not showing any other symptoms (of e.g. Trichomonosis).

It's literally hopping around the garden with its beak continuously open.

Hiya Wit's end

It doesn't sound well but there's probably not a lot you can do other than leave water and maybe some crushed food..but i'm guessing really.

Hello Alan / doggie,

Many thanks for your reply - I've put some more clean water and crushed food out for it, and will monitor the situation. I've never seen this before, so am a little puzzled as to what's happened to the bird.

Anne

Got to admit i've never seen it if you say it doesn't look like it has Trich

No, it's not exhibiting any symptoms of Trich. Hopefully it's a temporary affliction.

This sounds to me like "Gape" or "the Gapes" and is caused by a parasitic organism rather similar to the one that causes Trichomaniasis but not the same.

There are treatments which are used on tame and domestic birds but it sounds to me as if it has probably gone too far with this little one.

You should not allow it to eat with other birds as the parasite is passed from bird to bird by the infected one coughing up the eggs when attempting to eat. The same sort of hygeine precautions as for trichomaniasis ase called for I think.

Jenni

Thank you Jenni, I hadn't come across "Gape" before, but the bird's symptoms do appear to match the description. I only noticed the bird today, and it was feeding with other starlings as well as with yellowhammers, blackbirds and chaffinches. I hope the infection hasn't been passed on...I disinfect the feeders and birdbath every day.

I am concerned that the bird may have already passed on the parasite to other birds, as the starlings have been feeding together with blackbirds, yellowhammers etc. over the last 2-3 weeks. Maybe I'm going over-the-top, but this is not the start to "Springwatch" I was hoping for...

You can't do much Wit's End. These things happen and if there was nothing to keep a check on populations we'd be overrun by all sorts - just as we are overrunning the world! It's hard I know but life is a fatal condition.

Jenni

Hi Wits end sorry to hear how you're feeling but i agree with Jenni and you will be surprised in the coming months just how many of us are reporting things like this..not nice and i for one am not looking forward to it.I've just had a Collared Dove with Trich my third in 12 month along with a Greenfinch.

Thank you Jenni and Doggie / Alan.

I almost reached the point of desperation this morning, and was considering ordering Flubenvet...not a good mindset. I then read that gapeworm can live in the soil for 4.5 years...so I also considered treating the soil. I think I need to go for a long walk to clear my head.

I'm sorry to hear about the Collared Dove and Greenfinch :-( We had an outbreak in Cumbria in 2007...keeping my fingers crossed for this year.

Correction: in 2006

Hi Wit's End.

I saw you asking the same question on the CJ site with no replies.

So Im glad you found some advice here even if its no very good news for that Starling.

I'm sorry to hear about this Wit's End, and I would also be at my wit's end in your position.

Good luck with trying to sort it out.