Your hawk is having difficulty breathing, weight loss, flicking food, and has cheesy plaques in her mouth. She most likely has?

The scenario described indicates that the hawk is experiencing respiratory issues, weight loss, difficulty ingesting food, and the presence of cheesy plaques in the mouth. These symptoms are characteristic of frounce, which is a condition caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae. Frounce particularly affects the digestive and respiratory systems, leading to the formation of these distinct cheese-like plaques in the mouth and throat, which can obstruct the airways and make breathing difficult.

The symptom of flicking food could be the result of discomfort or an inability to properly swallow due to these oral lesions. The combination of respiratory distress and oral plaques strongly suggests an infection associated with frounce.

The other conditions listed do have their own unique symptoms and causes but do not align as closely with the symptoms presented. For example, coccidiosis primarily affects the intestines and would exhibit more gastrointestinal issues without the oral plaques. Aspergillosis is a fungal infection that can also affect breathing but typically presents with different respiratory signs, such as labored breathing and possible nasal discharge. Sour crop is related to digestive problems, mainly due to food fermentation and would manifest differently, lacking the mouth lesions described.

Thus, the specific symptoms outlined—especially the