Spring cleaning for me is a weeklong
chore that involves scrubbing my home from top to bottom. The window treatments
and linens, carpeting, walls and windows, I try to tackle them all to make
ready for summer. Never would I think to include the birdhouses as part of the
yearly routine.
Yet, it’s as important as feeding
the birds.
The Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) — in its effort to prevent salmonellosis, a bacterial disease that kills
many small birds — is encouraging bird enthusiasts to clean and disinfect their
feeders.
Salmonellosis occurs when a food
source is contaminated with fecal matter. Since this bacterial disease was
first diagnosed in Michigan back in 1970, die-offs around bird feeders have
become more common and have been documented in many bird species throughout the
world.
Bird watchers have reported finding
dead birds around their feeders to the DNR. On occasion, they also have noticed
birds in the area showing signs of distress: huddling, fluffed-up feathers,
unsteadiness and shivering.
“We have received several calls from
people who are finding dead goldfinches,” said Brian Piccolo, a DNR wildlife
biologist based in Roscommon, adding that the disease is most prevalent in
house sparrows, pine siskins, American goldfinches and common redpolls. The
main reason is that they crowd into the feeding area and remain there until all
of the food supply is exhausted -- greatly increasing its chances of coming
into contact with the bacteria. Biologists also believe the species is more
susceptible to the disease than other wild birds.
“The best thing you can do is remove
and clean your bird feeder,” Piccolo said.
Begin with a thorough cleaning of all feeders
and birdbaths. The DNR advises homeowners to follow-up each week with a
10-percent bleach solution. According to a report by the DNR, “If the bacterial
disease is suspected, bird feed should be removed from the area for two to four
weeks to all birds to disperse; this includes encouraging neighbors to also
clean and remove feeders. By allowing the birds to disperse, birds infected
with the disease can separate from healthy birds.”
If any bird seed accumulates on the
ground, it should be raked up, and any soil suspected of being contaminated
removed. The good news is salmonellosis is not a cause of significant decline
in the population of wild birds.
“Feeding wildlife congregates them
in a way that is not normal,” said Tom Cooley, DNR wildlife biologist and
pathologist. “Disease transmission is higher when wildlife is concentrated and
in closer contact with each other.”
Once the summer months return,
salmonellosis outbreaks around the feeders decline, as most people do not feed
the birds, and they return to foraging for food in a more natural way,
individually.
For more
information about salmonellosis and other wildlife diseases, visit the DNR website
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