I have seen growths up to the size of a golf ball on the feet of
seabirds, which are smooth, soft and appear to be tumours. I have
seen this mostly in Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, probably because I
handle about 1000 individuals per annum, the rate of incidence of
obvious growths is about 0.1%. I have seen similar protuberances on
the feet of albatross, gulls, terns and shorebirds but cannot make an
estimate of frequency in these latter instances.
Currently, there is a male Magpie Lark on the grassy quadrangle
behind Melville Hall with a growth on its right foot.
The key point is that affected individuals are infrequent and that
makes the presence of such a growth on the foot of an individual that
is the first record of its species for Australia highly unlikely.
Which ever way one looks at it, the occurrence of a Grey-headed
Lapwing with an extremely deformed foot at Burren Junction is a
remote possibility and it is a matter of opinion which scenario is
most likely.
PJ Milburn
--
The Milburns
42 Bundey Street
Higgins
ACT 2615
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