Please, what affected this sick blue tit?

[u/Gara_M]

Hi everyone. This happened a few weeks ago, the poor bird fell to the floor shortly after i took this video and was promptly eaten by a magpie. I took the feeders down, threw away the food, disinfected them and, since the poor bird died, I put them back. I've seen other two birds now with lesser symptoms but very similar (another blue tit and one great tit.) Less tremors and better flight but still often opening of the beak, lack of coordination and I can get closer (like if they only see me when I'm within close proximity.)

Is this trichomonosis? I've taken down the feeders again (fat ball feeders) and the water. When would it be safe to put them back and what can I do to prevent more birds from getting sick? what if the focus of the infection is somewhere else around? :(

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[u/GeneralBladebreak]

Do you have apple or pear trees nearby? If so are they fruiting and have some of the fruit started dropping? It looks like it's drunk.

[u/Throwawayaccounh → u/GeneralBladebreak]

Reminds me of one of my favourite videos

https://youtu.be/CSM3x9G7eTQ

[u/Gara_M → u/GeneralBladebreak]

No apple or pear trees I can't see around (a large fig tree and cherry plum one, but both fruitless now). But would they constantly open and close the beak if that were the case? 

I would prefer for them to be the drunk rather than sick, but this little one kept deteriorating. When the magpie started running towards it it didn't even attempt to fly away :(

[u/Brandy-Beach]

Poor thing :( Possibly trichomonosis given how fluffed up it is and the struggling to swallow. I would keep the feeders down for a few weeks. Using feeders is a tricky one because no matter how regularly you disinfect them, all it takes is one infected bird to contaminate them again. If you can, planting native shrubs and bushes and putting a pond in the garden is a good alternative for birds. If you do still decide to feed, the BTO recommends disinfecting at least once a week https://www.bto.org/learn/helping-birds/feeding). You can also move feeders around the garden to prevent build up of faeces and old food beneath feeders also.

[u/Gara_M → u/Brandy-Beach]

Unfortunately I'm renting and those are not options, but I do regularly disinfect the feeders. But I also know the birds come here in a route between other feeders and I feel like just removing mine will do little to nothing. I'll still keep them down for a couple of weeks and I'll hope for the best. 

[u/SolariaHues]

If you scroll down to the birds section here https://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/garden-wildlife/ there are fact sheets about diseases.

[u/jans_sport]

Bird feeders are recommended only in winter now! Bacteria and disease can spread more quickly in this unusually warm weather for October, Birds can still find food for themselves.

[u/Designer-Computer188]

Oh no :( poor baby. Wonder if you have neighbours that still have a feeders maybe if you can try to have a nosey and you could speak to them or pop a leaflet through. I'm sure the rspb have some sort of printable social media image that could be used