House Finch Eye Disease
If you live in North America and feed with sunflower seeds, chances are you’ve seen your share of house finches. These small but vocal visitors generally travel in small flocks during most of the year. Here is a link to pictures of both the male and female from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology site. If you’ve had a ton of them, you’ve probably seen some acting like they’re not sure of their environment. This is the telltale sign of house finch eye disease.
It is estimated that less than 10% of the population is affected by the House Finch Eye Disease (mycoplasmal conjunctivitis). However, the large numbers that can flock and hit your feeders makes it imperative that you keep an eye on them and take steps at the first sign of infection. Here is another link dealing specifically with house finch eye disease from the Cornell Lab.
You’ll find a great list of preventive and reactive measures that you can take when you spot a sick bird. You will probably need a pair of birding binoculars to pick up on it at first. Later, you will be able to tell just from their behavior. For instance, I don’t need any other help than finding a bird sitting on the bird bath or feeder doing nothing but sitting to tell they are suspect. At that point, I’ll walk into my backyard and will be able to walk right up to them if they are sick.
What I Recommend
Probably the biggest things I want to leave you with are:
- Tube feeders are the quickest ways for the birds to spread the disease.
- Cleaning your feeders with a 10% bleach solution and cleaning under your feeders regularly can go a long way to prevent the spread of the disease.
- At the FIRST sign of the disease take your feeders down! I recommend keeping them down for at least two weeks.
- After that, start off slowly. Put only one feeder out and see who comes to it and if they are sick.
- If there are still sick birds take them down and clean that feeder again.
- Wait another two weeks before repeating the trial.
Let’s hope that the statistics that say the disease has gotten below epidemic levels are correct and we’ll soon start seeing less and less of these poor birds at our feeders.
Just spotted a house Finch with crusty eyes at our feeder.I can get close enough to catch him,should I?
Hi James,
If you have a wildlife rescue & rehabilitation in your area, call them and ask what they advise. I’ve never taken a sick house finch into one before. Only injured or orphaned birds. Definitely take down your feeders! Then keep them down while you wash them with a 10% bleach solution. You may need to keep them down for a couple weeks or so.I’ve had mine down for a month since my last contact with the disease. Hope this helps.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I see that you think tube feeders are the easiest way to spread disease.
What feeders do you think are best for minimizing the spread of disease between birds. Platform feeders etc?
Thanks
I had a problem last winter with this disease and lost a lot of birds and caused me much stress. I did not take down my feeders, as we were in the cold of winter (I live in Maine) so was afraid birds would not have food, as had come to depend on my feeders. Planned to take down my feeders when good weather came so I would never go through that again! but didn’t and now, here it is almost October and I am seeing a few finches that are looking like those of last winter. Is it too late to remove feeders (if I take down, will probably not put back in two weeks to avoid repeat of all this PLUS would be getting colder). Can birds that are so dependent on a feeder survive in wild throughout Maine winter? Hope you can help me as I want what is best for my birds, which I love and get a lot of enjoyment from watching. thank you
Hi Linda,
I’m sorry you’re having so much trouble with this disease but you MUST take down your feeders NOW for at least a couple weeks. Birds are thankful for the help but will NOT perish without it, I promise. But they WILL perish if they keep infecting each other with a disease that threatens their ability to get food at all.
Clean and disinfect all feeders before putting them up again. But not until you don’t see any sick birds on your property. I would also suggest putting up only ONE feeder at first. If you see sick birds again, take it down immediately. This way you only have one feeder to clean if there still are sick birds.
I have to ask: what part of Maine are you in? My wife and I visited Portland years ago and found it wonderful!
Jeff
I am sorry I never answered your reply ~ I really appreciated your help. Thank you. I did take down the feeder, which was so difficult to do, and have not put it back up. I do have a platform feeder at my dining room window, which I have noticed over the past couple of weeks has had about 8 goldfinches eating at ~ nothing for finches prior to that….. they just disappeared.,
As for where in Maine I live? it is Norridgewock, a much quieter town than Portland, for sure. Glad that you and your wife found our state a nice place to visit though. Thank you again for helping me with my problem. Take care and stay safe.
Hi Linda,
Glad I was able to help in any way! I’ve noticed my goldfinches have been very hit or miss except for ONE unflinching variable. When it gets cold, they return. Warms up and they’re scarce but at least I know they are around still.
What are you feeding in your window platform feeder?
Norridgewock looks like a lovely town to live in! My wife and I almost bought a home in Maine the year after we visited. We loved it and the people so much! I’m glad we waited until we had great people like you to clue us in on great places in the state to live-LOL!
I hope your family and friends are doing well this holiday season and look forward to hearing more from you on your goldfinch journey.
Happy New Year!
Jeff
Jeff, I have a small flock of house finches that feed at my balcony. I keep home made suet out during the coldest weather and fresh water daily. I wash the water bowl regularly and have not seen any evidence of illness.
I do have a concern about one male juvenile. He appears to me to be an orphan as he always comes alone and flies away as soon as other finches come. He comes earlier in the morning and later in the evening and it is nothing for him to sit on my balcony for half an hour at a time. He seems to be entirely on his own.
Is it likely that he will be accepted into a flock at any point and is there any other support I can provide him?
Hi Alice,
If you’re sure this is a juvenile then there is a chance that he is not well. In my experience, any bird that spends a lot of time just sitting is usually not. Chances are he has figured out the safest time to feed. He knows the flock can be very ruthless when it comes to sick birds.
I hate to say it but I don’t believe there’s much you can or should for him. I have a feeling he won’t be around a whole lot longer. I would make sure that he doesn’t develop any of the eye disease signs discussed in the article. Pull those feeders down if you see ANY signs of illness there.
Where are you located?
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I have a decent size flock of birds that feed in our yard. I have been watching one juvenile that I believe is sick, so I have taken down all of the feeders and will sanitize before putting them back up. I have several tube and cage feeders along with a platform feeder and was considering switching to more suet based when I put them back up. Is this disease as easy to spread with other types of feeders? Right now it’s just the one male finch that is sick (sits all day or flies between two feeders and is crusty on one eye, no fear of me). Hoping we won’t get more sick finches. And I hate not feeding my cardinals (bluejays still getting just shell peanuts in the morning).
Hi Wendy,
First of all, congratulations on caring enough for your back yard visitors to take everything down as I suggest for at least two weeks. AND for sanitizing everything before you put anything back up. You deserve to pat yourself on the back for this alone. I’ll wait…
While the feeders house finches most use (platform, tube, etc.) are most at risk, a sick finch might try landing on anything. I’ve even seen them get on suet and peanut feeders.That’s the main reason I recommend taking ALL feeders down.
I know how hard it is because last month I had a sick finch right when all the cardinal, chickadee and titmouse kids were learning to feed. I still don’t have their feeders back up but will when the weather turns colder. I’ve been putting down patio mix (3-D products) on my patio and sitting outside to watch them feed feet from me but here’s the catch: even if you put food out where they don’t have to contact anything to eat it, it still keeps the sick bird(s) around until you think it’s safe.
If you stick to your program, the sick bird or birds will disperse. You should be ok feeding shelled peanuts to your bluejays.
Let me know how this progresses, will you?
Jeff
I found one dead finch today at one of my feeders, thinking to wait and see approach to see if any others before I react do you agree? I live in Cumming. GA
Hi Rita,
If that finch has the characteristic swollen eye or eyes, you should monitor VERY closely. I would even say if the dead bird has those signs, just take them down now! That disease can spread so fast that if you have a nearly positive confirmation you’d be doing everybody a HUGE favor by taking down all feeders now!
Jeff
Hi Jeff…
Have had a flock of up to 30 goldfinches with others birds mixed in VT. Just saw my first gold finch with what appears to be eye problems. Took all four feeders down, sanitized and am watching the empty clean pole! It’s so cold ( <30) and snowy (12”) do you think a week is sufficient time to try a single feeder again?
Kathy
Hi Kathy,
I know how difficult this is for you!
First of all, your little goldies can’t thank you enough for taking such quick action! Good job! Pat yourself on the back.
The only way I would put any feeder out in less than at least two weeks is if it was right where you could watch it from the start. Yanking it down if you see ANY signs of a sick bird or birds. After almost twenty years of feeding birds, I’ve just learned that two weeks is a good minimum calming period. The sick birds disperse and may even die but your healthy goldies will find a way to survive.
Let me know how this goes and I would recommend continuing to watch the feeder as closely as you have been even if you’re able to put them back up.
Jeff
Thank for sharing all your input and knowledge. A house finch showed up to my feeder with a severely swollen and crusty eye. Ir pretty much took up half 9f his whole face. The other eye seemed to be normal and he was functioning and getting around normally. He also had a mate that looked completely healthy. Is it unusual for a sick house finch to still have a mate stick by them? I’m just wondering if perhaps this poor finch maybe had an eye injury rather than conjunctivitis. I suppose it’s more wishful thinking. My feeder has been down for 5 days so far since seeing this finch and it has been really tough!! It takes everything in my not to throw a few seeds out for my regulars who are begging for food at my window.
Hi Trisha,
Good on you for seeing this and taking them down! Believe me, I KNOW how difficult it can be. Just remember that you’re saving lives!
It’s not unusual for the mate to stick around and get sick too! And it probably is wishful thinking. If it’s swollen and crusty it’s almost certainly eye disease.Sorry.
Please let us know how this goes, will you?
Jeff
Hello Jeff,
I’m glad I found your site and hope you can answer a few questions for me about the finch eye disease and proper precautions. I live in upstate NY and have been feeding birds for several years. I have never seen any indication of this disease until very recently – on Purple Finch that had it that I saw once and not again.
I took down all of my feeders and cleaned them, and did put them back up – contrary to common advice. I have been pretty vigilant looking at all of the visiting finches for signs of that eye disease – we have Goldfinches and Purple Finches here all year.
I have a few questions about what to do if I see any other affected birds. We take the feeders in at night due to other wildlife around, so I put them out each day. I have been wiping them down with vinegar and water when I put them out and also another time during the day if there are a lot of birds at them. Will this possibly help to kill any wayward conjunctivitis virus and keep the feeders sanitary?
I also wondered if I can reuse the seed that I emptied when I first saw the infected finch. It has been several weeks – is it safe to put that seed back into the feeders gradually?
And what is the best type of feeder to use to discourage spread of this virus? I have 4 feeders out right now – spread out so that the birds don’t congregate on any one. Is there a type that is better to use? I have two additional feeders that I can put out if needed. They are various types – and not too many birds can be on them at the same time.
Thanks for any info you can offer. I am hopeful that the one infected bird – which I haven’t seen again – will not return, and that the precautions I am taking will be enough.
Hi Lily,
The best advice I can give is to do like the article states and take the feeders down at the first sign of the disease. Cleaning them and putting them back up while there are still sick birds around is really a waste of time. Clean them but keep them down for at least two weeks.
The type of feeder doesn’t matter either. Even though tube feeders, that require the sick birds to stick their heads into it, are more ripe than a platform feeder the disease is very hardy and doesn’t need much contact to infect the feeder and other birds.
You’re doing something valuable in making sure not to let them congregate too heavily but house finches at my house spend most of the day fussing with each other. This would be a prime disease vector.
I’m hoping I’m being helpful here. Let us know what you decide moving forward, will you?
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the reply and for giving me access to this forum! I have enjoyed reading your articles!!
So – when I posted yesterday, I may have spoken too soon since we saw a Goldfinch with that eye disease late in the day yesterday. So we took all of the feeders down, and I have been checking the birds that I have seen here today to keep track. They were still looking for the feeders, and I did see one Goldfinch with the start of the bad eyes, so I guess I need to bite the bullet and keep the feeders down as you say.
A question though – can/will they spread this disease even if there are no feeders? You mentioned that your House Finches do congregate, and even though we don’t have those – it has been Purple and Goldfinches – it seems that if they are congregating anywhere, they could continue spreading the disease even if they aren’t right here in the yard.
I have been watching all of the finches that have come today with my binoculars :-)! So far, only that one Goldfinch with it – and we have had about 4 Purple Finches. 6 Goldfinches, 2 Cardinals and 2 Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, so the majority of them are OK at the moment.
Taking the feeders down is very hard, as others have noted. I’ve been submitting daily reports to Cornell – I’m up to 955 consecutive days, But there are other birds here that aren’t feeder birds – the hummingbirds, a few that like the suet, and some that are just ground feeders getting the leftover seed like the doves, so I do have something to report.
I’ll keep track of the progress of the disease, and get working on cleaning the feeders so they are ready. Do you have any opinion on using vinegar instead of bleach to disinfect them? And can I eventually reuse that old seed that I took out of the feeders when I first cleaned them? Can it be used possibly mixed in with new seed, or should I discard it?
Thanks again for your help! I especially enjoyed your article about saving the bird that flew into the window. We’ve had that happen a few times, and my husband and I have both “saved” a stunned bird – holding it and talking to it until it regained consciousness and finally felt that it was ready to fly. I just had one yesterday – a Pine Siskin that somehow flew into our storm door – not at all a direct shot from anywhere!
I will post back as thing develop. I am glad that it is almost summer and there is a lot for these bird to eat while the feeders are on hiatus!
Lily
Hi Lily,
Definitely, keep the feeders down as we discussed!
Yes, the birds can spread the disease on their own BUT nothing will speed it up faster than sick birds fighting and fussing over seeds.
I know how hard it can be! You just have to think how bad it would be (and how bad you’d feel) if YOU were the cause of even ONE bird death. To be clear, the disease itself does not kill birds. However, it can keep them from being able to feed and open them up to easy predation by animals and birds.
Even though there is a chance the bird sustained an injury that may end its life, it still feels good when they come around and fly off on their own wings!
I appreciate you keeping us posted as this develops.
Best,
Jeff
Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff! I’m keeping an eye out to see if I see any infected birds on the ground or at the birdbaths, but will wait till time has gone by before going back to my feeder routine. I think that will be a gradual process. In the meanwhile I am going to clean them all really well so they’ll be ready when it looks safe.
You’re right – I don’t want any of the birds to catch this from the two that I did see.
Will post back as thing progress!
Lily
Hi Lily,
I like the plan you’ve made and looking forward to hearing more as soon as you’re able.
Best,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Yes, I will let you know how it goes. There have been a few feeder birds around looking for their food – including, unfortunately, one female Purple Finch with the eye disease, so I guess it is an ongoing problem. Hope it goes away soon!
Take care!
Lily
And one additional question. Do you happen to know what the incubation period is for this disease?
Just wondering if all those that could possibly be affected will not be an issue in 10 days so that the cycle might be broken? But it does seem like they have already contracted it before coming to my feeders – wonder where or how?
Thanks!
Lily
Hi Lily,
Keeping an eye on your feeders is the best defense. This article should tell you all you need to know. Especially that the finches can take up to twelve weeks to exhibit symptoms!
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/wildlife/wildlife-disease/wdm/mycoplasmosis
Jeff
Great – thanks so much! Excellent resource! But 12 weeks – that’s quite a long time, unfortunately. Certainly allows for spread even if you are vigilant about the feeders.
Lily
Hi Lily,
Paying attention, as you are, is the best way to be alerted when action needs taken! Trust me when I say eye disease spreads like wildfire and doesn’t need 12 weeks to appear, spread and kill.
Jeff
“Spreads like wildfire” – definitely something I want to avoid!
Thanks again for the encouragement!
Lily
Just yesterday I spotted one house finch that was struggling near my bird feeders. After doing some research, I believe the finch does have house finch eye disease : ( I did immediately take my feeders down and sanitized them. I will wait the two weeks to put them back up. I also have several bird baths around the yard, I emptied those and will sanitize, but do you recommend not having these out for 2 weeks as well? Thank you.
Just wondering where this sighting took place?
Hi Stephanie,
I would say any place these sick finches can congregate should be taken down as well. That doesn’t even address that they could infect the water source of other susceptible birds.
Your first thought was the correct one.
Thank you from your birds for noticing and caring for them!
Jeff
Spotted a goldfinch that appeared to have mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in one eye that was completely shut. We immediately took down ALL feeders along with the bird baths. We will sanitize those soon. It’s eerily quiet out in the backyard now, but we’re sticking to the recommended two-week hiatus.
Two questions: 1) is there a place I should report sighting? 2) If I had two cylinder blocks mainly for woodpeckers, cardinals, etc. Should I toss those as well and start fresh in two weeks? Going to toss the suet and finch food from the feeders for sure.
TIA!
Hi Rob,
First off, kudos to you for watching and protecting your backyard crew! Way to go!
Your local wildlife rehab office may know who needs to know. Sorry I can’t be more help than that right now.
It would be a good idea to take them all down and toss them. I’ve had sick house finches get on nearly everything trying to get some food. I know it’s hard to do, believe me. But it’s much better to keep them from getting sick or spreading it. Especially cardinals, goldfinches who I’ve seen get it as well. I know your experience started with the goldie so you’re no stranger to this.
Please let me how this goes when you’re ready to put them back up, will you?
Best,
Jeff
Took down (and sanitized) all feeders back on Nov 9th, just put them back up on Nov 24th. Only been a few days and voila, the birds didn’t abandon us. Not as many, but that’s fine.
In terms of cleaning the feeders (only 3) – suet holder, finch feeder, and a metal tray feeder. How often do you suggest cleaning and is there a way to sanitize without using the diluted bleach solution or do you recommend the bleach solution each time? Same Q on the bird baths, is the bleach solution a must?
Thanks for all you do here, much appreciated.
Rob
Hi Rob,
I’ve always had them come back too-LOL! They know a good thing when they see one and your one of those!
I’ve heard of some variation with vinegar but the bleach seems to be the most prevalent answer. I think the recommended frequency is every two weeks but I’ve never been able to stick to that. I change my water daily and they get fully cleaned about once a month. If I spot a sick bird they just get emptied and turned upside-down. I know you hated having to take your feeders down but the lives you save make it worth it for both of you.
Your thanks are much appreciated as well. Does my heart good to help another with something I’ve been through. And I’ve been through a LOT in my 20 plus years of birding-LOL!
If you celebrate it, Happy Thanksgiving!
Keep us posted on how things go this winter.
Best,
Jeff