Aussie Finch Forum

Today while feed the birds I watched with joy as a young plum head finch lauched from its nest tree for it first flight only to fly directly into the aviary frame, fall down, two flaps and it was dead from massive head trauma. Although somewhat underdevelped (ie stillsome pins to come through) I noticed the lower abdomen quite swollen/distended for a young chick. It appeared to be a bit fliud filled and may have assited in the unbalanced flight. Anyway still warm I thught I would have a look inside. All organs appeared to be in good order except for the liver, The right lobe ( looking atthe bird) was down into the ab cavity. The left lobe was ok in size and both lobes uniformally coloured albeit a bit light for liver (however given blood loss in head trauma this may account for paleness). Upon removing the liver lobes there was a under the left lobe what appeared to be another lobe but very jelly like and quite dark (ie like pooled blood). The gall bladder was rather large and quite distended with yellowy fluid. So I am thinking this chick was dead before it hit the pole it just didnt know it.
So question is this from a nest trauma or disease. The gizzard was clean but was processing normal soft food, live food and soaked seeds etc. Crop was nicely full. Havent seen anymore babies yet to compare although parents are calling.

I know this is not much to go on but any thougths??

Hi Trilobite,

The enlarged right liver lobe is definitely abnormal. This was obviously a pre-existing condition.
The blood clot under the liver may have been the result of organ trauma from the impact. Did you see any damage to the underside of the liver, or to any major blood vessels near that area? How soon after the death did you open up the bird? If only a few minutes it is unlikely that the blood would have had enough time to clot-suggesting that the clot was there earlier.

Did you check the back of the skull? Was the skull actually damaged? Was there an obvious blood clot under the skin?

The enlarged liver could be caused by several things eg infections (viral-eg polyomavirus, bacterial or protozoal;)- liver tends to be large & dark/red; also metabolic diseases such as amyloidosis (large yellow-tan liver). Only histopathology can give you more info. Was the spleen enlarged? Kidneys?

Cheers

Myzomela

G'day Myzo,
The birds was just off warm maybe 20 mins by the time I got back to the Lab (aka the shed)
The back side of the left lobe had a small red spot/lesion (hard to tell with out my stero mic) which I could have been associated with the "pooling blood" at the back of the liver.
The back rear side of the skull was definately damaged from the impact with small blood droplets emerging from the skin and quite a bit from the oral cavity (nothing in esophagus or crop when disected) but I didnt search any more then this as it was more then evident. The spleen wasnt overly abnormal but then again I am not use to a normal size spleen or gall badder for that matter. The kidnies and associated mesentary all looked fine.

Will keep and eye out in the next day for siblings and have a good look at them as they emerge.

Thanks for the pointers

No worries-I hope it's just a one-off!

good news the siblings have emerged healthy and happy, so as you have said hopefully a once off.