Pigeon Die Off?

[scolopax]

For about the last six weeks I have been finding dead and weak woodpigeons whilst I am out and about. Not great numbers but I generally come across one or two every day when I go to check on the pheasants. This is not just on my own small patch as other people in the wider area have commented on the same thing. Overall there are probably thousands of pigeon dying off.

 

An ex keeper described the phenomenon as acorn disease, a fungal infection that the birds get from eating the fallen acorns.

 

Has anybody else seen evidence of a pigeon die off this year?

[Cranfield]

I haven't seen any "unexplained" dead pigeons laying around, but I have heard of the acorn disease.

 

The last time I saw an outbreak was about 10 years ago, when there wasn't a very good acorn crop and the birds were eating the fallen acorns that were going rotten, I think this is what poisons them.

There has been a very good crop of acorns in my area and the birds are spoilt for choice.

Perhaps the outbreaks are very localised.

 

I don't know that much about acorn disease, it would be interesting to find out if it has a scientific name and do some research.

[il cacciatore]

Could be bird-flu?

[Topgunners]

This could be the reason why.

 

 

DETRIMENTAL PROPERTIES: Eating large amounts of the raw acorns can lead to toxicity due to the tannic acid. Humans rarely eat toxic amounts of raw acorns because of the extreme bitterness. Anyone with a normal sense of taste would find it nearly impossible to consume large amounts. Those who have persisted in eating raw acorns have nearly always been stopped short of death because of the onset of frequent urination, constipation, abdominal pains, and extreme thirst.

 

Dave K

[henry d]

Apparently pigs can eat them with impunity and they help to clear up in the New Forest to save the ponies from the above

[Highlander]

Not great numbers but I generally come across one or two every day when I go to check on the pheasants. Overall there are probably thousands of pigeon dying off.

 

Now don't exaggerate one or two even seen by every shooter in your area doesn't add up to 1000's!

 

Don't know about acorn disease but round here the (oak and beech) trees are full of birds. With the right decoy set up it's like roost shootin' all day long.

[Wookie]

My mum has been seeing _lots_ of really ill pigeons round her way in Suffolk. My theory was grain sprayed with pesticides that was killing them, but I have no idea if they have sowed anything on the land near her.

 

Saw one dead one on her lawn on saturday after I went out for a hack, but she said that she's seen several barely flapp[ing out of the way in the morning. Can't remember seeing many oak trees by her apart from the ones lining the road. The rest are poplar or "various".

 

Wookie

[Highlander]

Before everyone starts reporting bird flu, acorn disease or woody wobbler or any other such **** lets think twice. I've NOT seen loads of dead woodies about (and I do get about a lot) but what I do see especially at this time of year (and funnily enough on Mondays especially) is dead pheasants and partridges. Could they and Woody be the result of weekend shooting forays??? Many birds fly off apparently unharmed but die later from wounds, some die sooner and might have been retrieved if only the shooter had kept an eye on them for longer!

[henry d]

I had a LOT of dead/dying woodpigeon in 2000/01 when there was alot of mast too.They died from cocci ,same as pheasants etc.Their crops were swollen and full of a cheesey substance as well as mast.

Apparently they eat the infected mast/acorns/wheat and when infected the crop/neck swells they vomit up the food and this infects the next bird as well as the feed it touches.

I think that this was in December and definately not October.

[Browning]

I'm seeing the same thing on the shoot I keeper on. I'd say I've seen approx 30 dead pigeon over the past couple of weeks, mostly they seem to be isolated to two particular areas of the 1900 acres on this particular farm.

 

I've never seen anything like this amount of dead birds over the past three years I've been looking after this farm.

 

The acorn and mast crop this year has been incredible around here, so it's likely that the acorn disease

is the culprit.

[Vulcha]

Aren't pigeons immune to bird flu anyway?

[bigdunny]

Im new to the forum, but up here in Fife I havnt seen any sign of dead doo's, I am out and about 2-3 times a week on the ground I shoot and I aint come across any weak or dead doo's lieing about

[Theskyfox]

Hmmm around here the only thing they seem to be dieing of is me lol. I shall keep an eye out though just in case...but they all seem fit and overly healthy here down in the South East.

 

-Andrew

[karl h]

Not noticed any thing round are way now starting to hit the rape seem to be leaving the acorn and beech masts alone at mo.

[Conygree]

Seen quite a alot in Oxfordshire, mainly on roads with slow reactions a few in the woods. I was told by an experienced keeper that its Pigeons eating drilled treated winter corn and rape seed spillage which acts like a poison. From observing them they don't appear to be shot just doped.

 

They all are on the beech and acorns on my shoot with good reactions as they clock me, so its a bit odd what the condition is as the first one I saw was back in early summer on my garage roof. Which if so is well before haresting, drilling and acorns/beech

[Paul in North Lincs.]

in yesturday year...when winter 'was winter' I have on occasions found dead woodies littered around a roost for no apparent reason.

 

Upon inspection the birds crops were empty..and I assumed that the rock- hard prolonged frosts and freezing nights had caused the birds to simply dwindle and die through hunger and exposure.......That wouldn't be the cae at the moment as is still really warm, with food in abundance.

[Country Boy]

Don't worry about die-offs they are part of a natural process.

 

In theory, more birds will die during a hard winter when food supplies dwindle but I can't think there is much chance of that happening in the present age - have you seen the acreage of oilseed rape this time!!!

 

You see pre 1970 there was very little winter OSR grown and there were more prolonged spells of snow during the winters then, hence less food for pigeons so the numbers were naturaly reduced.

 

See if you can find a copy of this book : THE WOODPIGEON by R.K.MURTON

 

Cheerz C.B. :-)

[pin]

Encouraging signs on the way to work this morning!

 

I saw about 3/400 birds getting on some osr/setaside coming down the m11 towards docklands, and I was seeing a load of birds moving about almost all the way from herts down the 25 all the way to work.

 

No idea why now, but this is the first time I have seen such movement for weeks

[Conygree]

From lab tests on dead birds its a single cell parasite which restricts the throat so birds can't feed or drink, so they slowly die. They appear dopy and fluffed-up, I have picked some up ( to despatch). I will try and find the lab name, a sample were sent off for tests from Oxford. It also affects other seed eating birds.

 

The numbers have really dropped off in Oxfordshire in general on the normal sites and roosts

[young airgunner]

hi im from oxfordshire too and after reading this thread has made me think. i took my dog for a walk up the woods on sunday and saw about 3 pigeons dead in different parts of the wood. i know this could have been from predators etc but after reading this, it seems a bit strange.

[Conygree]

Hi young airgunner this parasite is killing off alot of pigeons the ones sent for tests were from Brasenose woods on the eastern bypass, where the rangers sent some off for tests. Also there have been alot of dying pigeons on the Horton Hospital site, Banbury north oxon, which is also the town roost site being surrounded by trees where numbers have really dropped off. On my shoot its seems less pigeon than normal but I will have to give it a while as you know pigeons change feeding habits by the week but there are none on the fields in large numbers nor the oak/beech woods.

 

Its hard to tell which are shot and which die off with piles of feathers, as the foxes and buzzards do such a good daily clean up job, but if still alive they are fluffed up with no energy. When I first saw one in the summer I thought it was wounded but it could be spread by drinking water, as the drought has limited water drinking points for all birds this summer, this could be where the parasite could be picked up and spread so fast.

 

So if pigeon numbers crash this could mean spending all winter doing DIY at home for us all ?

[Highlander]

In Oxfordshire...that explains a lot...they're most likely all the wounded ones from Will B's shooting events

[kirky640]

In Oxfordshire...that explains a lot...they're most likely all the wounded ones from Will B's shooting events

 

 

**** :yp:

[ROB REYNOLDS UK]

i found one last saturday night i thought to my self its been hit by some shooter , i drove past it only to pick it up on the way home i did the only thing i could do, i necked it and fed it too my ferrets waste not wont not