Bird Diseases/Conditions (Site Under Construction)

By far the most research into avian health nutrition and deseases has been done in relation to poultry.
These are an excellent reference sites.
PoultryDVM Toxic Plants Finder Tool
Cornell University Toxic Agents in Plants

Toxic Principles

Plants have evolved many chemical defenses to protect against preditation. The most common toxins fall into the following categories

Disease Categories in Chickens

Plants known to be toxic to Chickens

Notes
*1 cardenolides or cardiac glycosides. Cardenolides interfere with the cardiac function of the heart which can cause irregularities in heart rate and rhythm. Plants include: Azalea, Bitter root, Foxglove, Lily of the valley, Milkweed, Oleander, Rubber vine, Salb Ssar, Star of Bethlehem, Summer Pheasant's Eye.
*2 Cyanogenic glycosides, amygdalin is the most abundant causes: Rapid Breathing, Low Blood Pressure, Red Comb Or Wattles, Seizure, Incoordination, Constipation, Weight Loss, Difficulty Breathing, Death. Found in Apricot, Arrowgrass, Bitter Almond, Chokecherry, Johnsongrass, Peach, Sacred Bamboo, Sudan Grass, immature Sorghum.
*3 Furocoumarins (oxypeucedanin and isoimperitorin) cause severe acute photosensitization in birds upon exposure to sunlightRedness Symptoms include Swelling Of Unfeathered Areas, Loss Of Feathers In The Periorbital Area, Dried Serous Fluid On Comb And Edge Of Beak, Keratoconjunctivitis, Multiple Lesions On Feet And Leg, Tremors In The Legs, Limb And Beak Deformities. Plants Include Longstaly Spring parsley (Cymopterus longipes), Spring parsley (Cymopterus watsonii)
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*4 lectins, purgative oil and curcin. The toxins inhibit protein synthesis in cells of the intestinal wall and may cause serious or fatal poisoning. The latex sap from J. gossypiifolia can cause contact dermatitis. Sypmtoms include: Appetite Loss, Colic, Diarrhea, Weight Loss, Dehydration, Dilated Pupils, Elevated Heart Rate, Death. Plants include: Bellyache Bush, Black Locust, Kidney Beans, Mistletoe, Physic nut, Roseary Bean,
*5 Nitrate poisoning symptoms: Difficulty Breathing, Weak Heart Rate, Tremors, Weakness, DeathPlants include: Lambsquarters, Wild Radish, Wormseed mustard.
*6 Oxalic acid combines with calcium in the blood to form insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that may be deposited into the kidneys which lead to renal stones and kidney damage. Symptoms upon the presence of other toxins. Oxalate containing R. crispus is toxic to birds as it contains anthraquinones, oxalates and tannins. Symptoms Include: Listlessness, Dullness, Incoordination, Weakness, Coma, Excess Salivation, Tremors, Recumbency, Sudden Death. Plants include: Curly dock, Hairy vetch, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Rhubarb,
*7 N. glauca contains anabasine, which is a type of pyridine alkaloid, similar to nicotine. However, anabasine is considered more toxic then nicotine, and is highly toxic to poultry if ingested. Symptoms: Stunting, can disturb the development of the embryo or fetus. Teratogens halt the pregnancy or produce a congenital malformation (a birth defect).
*8 pyrrolizidine alkaloids (jacobine, eruifoline, and senecionine) Symptoms: Lethargy Aimlessly Wandering, Depression, Chronic Weight Loss, Photosensitization, Weakness, Listlessness, Jaundice, Diarrhea, Blindness, Circling. Plants include: Fiddleneck, Fly Poison, Heliotrope, Patterson's curse, Ragwort, showy rattlebox, Spanish gold.
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*9 Sumptoms Diarrhea (Possibly Bloody), Depression, Dilated pupils, Anemia, Weakened Pulse, Lethargy, Convulsions, Coma, Seizures. Saponins Plants include: Holly, Horse chestnut, Pokeweed.
*10 Tropane alkaloids. All parts of D. stramonium contains tropane alkaloids, tannins, saponins and cardiac glycosides. There are sixty-four different types of tropane alkaloids, however the principal alkaloid found is hyoscine. The range of toxicity is highly variable and unpredictable; toxicity may vary from leaf to leaf, plant to plant and season to season. The highest concentration occurs in D. stramonium seeds: approximately 0.1 mg of atropine per seed or 3-6 mg/50-100 seeds. Symptoms:Restlessness, Dilated Pupils, Frequent Urination, Twitching, Depression, Increased Heart Rate, Respiratory Distress, Incoordination, Diarrhea, Lowered Body Temperature, Convulsions. Plants Include: Black Nightshade, Horsenettle, Jimsonweed
*11 Tannins act as a defense mechanism in plants against pathogens, herbivores and hostile environmental conditions. In poultry, small quantities of tannins in the diet cause adverse effects levels from 0.5 to 2.0% can cause low growth and egg production, levels from 3 to 7% can cause death. Generally, tannins induce a negative response when consumed. These effects can be instantaneous like astrigency or a bitter or unpleasant taste or can have a delayed response related to antinutritional/toxic effects. Sypmtoms are dependent upon the Tannin but can include: in the case of Hydrolizable tannins lesions associated with HT poisoning are hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, necrosis of the liver, and kidney damage with proximal tuberal necrosis, High mortality and morbidity were observed in sheep and cattle fed oaks and other tree species with more than 20% HT. in the case of Protanthocyanidins, PAs may damage the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, decreasing the absorption of nutrients, PAs may reduce the absorption of essential aminoacids. The most susceptible amino acids are methionine and lysine. Decreased methionine availability could increase the toxicity of cyanogenic glycosides, because methionine is involved in the detoxification of cyanide via methylation to thiocyanate. Plants include:mples of families of Dicotyledons rich in tannins are: Leguminosae : Acacia sp. (wattle); Sesbania sp.; Lotus sp. (trefoil); Onobrychis sp. (sainfoin); Anacardiaceae: Scinopsis balansae (quebracho) Combretaceae: myrobalan Rhizophoraceae : mangrove Myrtaceae: Eucalyptus sp., Mirtus sp. (Myrtle) Polinaceae: canaigre. Other important tannin containing plants are Quercus sp. (oak), Acer sp. (maple), Betula sp. (birch), Salix caprea (willow), Pinus sp. (Pine), Sorghum sp.
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