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Pigeon disease

<strong>Q) We are noticing a large number of sick and dead pigeon on our shoot. I have been told they are suffering from acorn poisoning as a result of the extra large fall this autumn. Could this be the case or do they have a virus that might affect pheasants? T. BUTLER By email</strong>

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A) I am sure that the dead and sick woodpigeon are not suffering from acorn poisoning, for while overeating acorns can kill some livestock, it will not, as far as I know, affect pigeon. The most likely explanation is a protozoan parasite called trichomoniasis, also known as frounce. If you open the beak of a bird you will probably see a cheesy matter in the gape, a sure sign that the bird has this disease. Pheasants can get frounce, but they should be safe from it by now and I have never seen it manifest itself in the way it is affecting your pigeon. It may be that this is a different strain of the disease and that, rather like coccidiosis, it is species-specific: partridge coccidiosis, for example, does not affect pheasants.