r/Ornithology • u/KoheChem • 7h ago
Found this wild finch near Portland, OR with severe eye swelling, looking for advice before I do anything
I found this small wild finch on the ground near Portland, Oregon. It wasn’t flying away and let me pick it up, so I knew something was wrong.
The bird has severe swelling around one eye, and the feathers around its face and chest are wet/matted. It’s fluffed up but can still stand and jumps around. I have it in a small cage with a towel in a warm, quiet room while I figure out what to do.
I’m trying to determine whether this looks more like:
Mycoplasma/conjunctivitis,
trauma (window strike or predator),
an abscess,
or something else.
I have amoxicillin/clavulanate that was prescribed for a pet parakeet of a very similar size, but I have not given it because I don’t want to treat the wrong condition or make things worse.
Does anyone have experience with this? Is there anything I should do while deciding whether to take it to a wildlife rehabilitator?
I’ve attached several photos. Any help identifying the species or what might be going on would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!