Nature is not always nice.

While washing dishes I noticed a female House Finch sitting on the bird's watering dish outside. She stayed for over half an hour so I thought it would be a good opportunity to get some nice shots. I could see that she was 'fluffed-up' and wondered if she was ill.





Once I uploaded the images to my computer I got a good look at her eye. After doing some research online I found information on a disease that is common to House Finches, mycoplasmal conjunctivitis (pink eye). Unfortunately, she will eventually go blind and will be unable to fly or feed herself. The poor thing will starve to death.

She kept rubbing her eyes on the side of the watering dish and on branches in the trees. Pink eye is very contagious to other birds. I'll have to keep the feeders as clean as possible and hope the rest of my feathered friends don't contract it.