Uh-oh. Yesterday there were two tom Turkeys in the yard with strange, black
patches on their heads. The patches were swelled and, in one of the birds,
the patches were starting to obstruct the eye. It reminded me of House
Finch disease. I've been researching it and have found several
possibilities for diseases that occur in Turkeys, including HOFI disease.
Here are several of the articles I have found:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_gallisepticum
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514
<http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1725120&mode=
2> &objID=1725120&mode=2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackhead_disease
https://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/turkey-program/turkey-ecology-and-lif
e-history/will-disease-decrease-turkey-numbers.aspx
One thing I discovered in my reading is that Wild Turkeys can pick up
diseases from domestic chickens. There are people in Eugene who have
chickens, so it is possible that the Turkeys might have picked up the
disease from them.
Considering the gobs of Turkeys I see in this yard, I'm surprised I've never
seen any with it before now. I wonder if these guys are new to the yard?
Or rather, might it be that they are regulars, and once they pick up the
disease, it moves fairly quickly to distort their eyes/heads?
Btw, these are big toms, full adults. It might be that they roam around a
lot now that it is breeding season, so they might have the potential to
spread the disease over a large area. On one hand this might help reduce
Turkey numbers around here, which would be desirable. But what might it do
to the other birds? I worry about that.
Here are a few not-so-great photos, and one video. If I see them again, I
will try to get better photos.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/canyoneagle/8414Ro
I don't feed Turkeys, and in fact go to great lengths to keep them from
getting to the seed/peanuts that I put out for the other birds and for the
squirrels. However, some of the food does drop on the ground, and sometimes
they fly up on the platform feeders, so they do scavenge at least some of
the food.
If any of you know what this disease might be, I would appreciate hearing
about it.
Thanks,
Lori Markoff
Eugene - South Hills
