RATS! Thats what I thought it was, I was really hoping for the peanut butter suit thought. Keep an eye on him. If it worsens he wont be able to see or eat. Did you find a rehabber from the link I sent?

Sorry that the response was discouraging - but I think there is still room for doubt. Kendra had some good points.

From what I understand, noone can definitely state that the bird has avian pox unless they microscopically evaluate some samples.

I guess the best you can do is remove standing water and stop feeding the birds for awhile, as they said, to remove two avenues of infection; and also scrub down feeders.

I don't know anything about rehabbers; but good luck with this.

I am really concerned about this situation. Cornell has advised me to discontinue feeding. We have recently been under ice and snow, with another storm to hit in a few days. I don't want to create a situation that increases the risks of spreading avian pox. However, I am also concerned about removing a food source at a time when it might be difficult for them to find other sources.
Thank you for the link for finding a rehabber. Though I did not find a rehabber, I did find a few suggestions of who to call to find one. Thanks again!

Chickadeemelrose,
I guess I was slowly typing my last post during your post, so I missed it.
I am going to remove and clean all feeders, along with the bird bath, tomorrow. With rain today, and temps above freezing, I think the timing will be good. However, with the snow storm that is being forecasted, I just don't know about NOT feeding them, or providing water during that time. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Pox is usually recognizable upon examination, as it it not uncommon. So you don't really need biopsy or anything like that.

If that is as bad as it gets, it's not bad.

Here is the irony of that kind of disease and others (like conjunctivitis): they are unfortunately passed from bird to bird because we have feeders, which create an unnatural number of birds foraging at the same spot. So the risk of passing disease from bird to bird is increased dramatically because there are more birds in one spot.

Keeping a feeder under these circumstances will contaminate other birds. So instead of one poxy bird, you may help create 10.

Bluebirds winter here, in central NJ, in snowy fields. This is because there is natural food available in the form of berries. For seed-eaters, such as titmice, etc, they have been wintering in snowy landscapes for millenium without feeders. I don't mean to be harsh or glib, but that's how natural selection works. The flocks move to other food sources (one of the best things about flying!! :)).

Good luck whatever your decision.

elly j,

This is not the first time you have explained something so well to someone who barely knows the basic bird facts (that would be me :).

I did some reading in an attempt to help Mac60 with the pox problem, but your explanation of the essence of it was far more enlightening. You have a gift for talking about the way nature works.

Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful response.

Mac60 - Best of luck with this situation. Your birds are fortunate to have someone who cares so much about helping them out.

I appreciate the comments and support. It has been an internal debate regarding the removal of feeders and birdbaths. There is so much written about the importance of providing water and food during long periods of below- freezing temps. (talking backyard songbirds in general). Yet, because I am providing feeders and birdbaths, there is a higher concentration of a variety of birds, which in turn creates a situation which allows for higher risks of the spread of avian pox. I really do appreciate the reminders and comments in the previous posts. I am taking the advise given and am removing feeders and baths to deter the spread of pox. Also hoping that the afflicted male blue will recover!

Chickadeemelrose,

Gee, thanks! That was nice of you to say.

I think many people lose sight of the bigger picture when they deal with most things, and nature in particular. They focus on what they immediately see, not realizing there is much there they don't see. (Kind of like the moon. People say "The moon is out," but really, the moon is always there, we just don't see it.)

With bird feeding, people don't realize if and how they do or do not impact wildlife.

Think about this: People complain about hawks killing "their" birds at "their" feeders. But most, if not all feeders actually overtly feed other bird predators and in my opinion, increase certain bird-predator populations. Like squirrels and raccoons, which routinely raid bird nests for eggs and chicks in spring and summer. That has way more impact on your backyard than a hawk or fox taking birds, because the squirrel destroys the entire brood.

Same thing with Blue jays and Common grackles, who benefit from feeders and take eggs and chicks. The wrong predators destroy an entire brood, or kill the parents (like House sparrows do), and that, I think, affects natural selection. Puts prey survival down to luck instead of skill, smarts and health.

I don't have any problem with any native predators doing what they have done for millenium; but to artificially increase their populations seems to me questionable. It is very rare that our species promotes the populations of the right species (Bald eagles, Peregrines, wolves). We usually screw it up and regret it later (House sparrows, kudzo).

I am not a biologist. All the above is integrated into my basic understanding of how nature works, simplified as it is. I would like other nature lovers to think about it.

Elly is wonderfull! I do though have to say, feeding birds is not all bad. If you plant for them they will still congrigate in one spot, even native bushes, puddles, etc.,
Elly has helped me with sick birds, it happens, anywhere there are a lot of birds, disease will spread. Hard as it is, it is Natures way. I have a disease spreading through my Gold Finches at the moment. It seems mild this year but has been very bad in past years. 15-20 dead birds from a flock of 200, well the strong survive. Pox is no different. I still hope it's chunkey peanut butter! 200 Gold Finches to a few Blues is a very different thing. The thing about not feeding or removing the bath is that they will go to the next place offering food and water and will flock up there. I have chosen to try to keep them here with clean feeders and bath as the next place may not be tidy at all.
Please keep us posted!

Elly has a good point for probably 90 percent of the people that feed birds. I think most people do not think about the impact of what they are doing, they just toss out bird seed. But I do believe there is a right way and a careless way to feed birds. Learn all you can about the native birds, and only put out what will attract them. Make sure feeders and bird baths are kept clean and sanitary. Make sure only the birds you wish to feed can access them. Elly's point is well taken about inadvertently attracting/feeding squirrels and raccoons, which will then feast on eggs and baby birds. Using feeders with predator baffles, and entrances small enough that large birds like Blue Jays cannot access the food helps a great deal. Also providing nesting boxes with appropriate sized entrance holes, deep enough compartments, and proper guards can greatly reduce the chance of predation. As Lisa pointed out, if I stopped feeding and watering the birds, they would go elsewhere where the conditions may not be "tidy at all". There is a place not far from here where a natural spring bubbles up out of the ground and runs down a hill all year long. Many kinds of animals use it as a water source, including birds. But it is quite filthy. Animals also urinate and defecate near there and I'm sure spread all kinds of diseases. It stinks too. I feel better knowing I'm offering them a clean source of drinking water. I'm still hoping that Bluebird just landed in peanut butter suet too. It really didn't look like any case of the pox I've ever seen. I swear if you enlarge that picture, you can see it peeling off.

Lisa, Kendra, thanks for your messages.

I am not promoting an end to bird feeding. I am just observing what may be consequences.