UK bird populations hit by trichomonosis

17:28 15th September 2010

Garden and greenhouse enthusiasts have been encouraged to help the British Trust for Ornithology battle trichomonosis.

The disease jumped the "species barrier" from pigeons to finches in 2005 and wiped out approximately 35 per cent of greenfinches and 20 per cent of chaffinches within 12 months, with hundreds of thousands perishing over the past five years.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), research by the Garden Bird Health Initiative showed that as many as 500,000 birds fell victim to the disease in 2007.

It is passed through saliva in bird feeders, baths and regurgitated food during the breeding season.

As such, growers can help by cleaning out their feeders and baths at least once a week and keeping an eye out for sick or dead birds which should be reported to the British Trust for Ornithology.

In other news, the RHS has reported that new research has shown that certain plants could play a major part in reducing higher temperatures found in cities and could be valuable in the fight against global warming.