HDWR&R: Central Oregon Action Alert!!! Possible Salmonella Outbreak, Please Clean Your Bird Feeders High Desert Wildlife Rescue has recently seen an increase in admissions of very sick Red Crossbills, Grosbeaks and different Finches. These species are admitted to our facility with fluffed-up feathers, unsteadiness, shivering, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing seeds or water, rapid loss of weight, accelerated respiration and watery yellow, green or blood-tinged droppings. The vent feathers are often matted with excreta, the eyes begin to close and, immediately before death, some birds show apparent blindness, incoordination, staggering, tremors, convulsions or other nervous signs. However, most people calling about die-offs report finding dead birds around their feeder and an occasional sick-acting bird. We suspect there may be an outbreak of Salmonella in these species being spread at backyard bird feeders. If you suddenly find dead birds at your feeders, or if you see birds that are lethargic, ataxic, or are sitting idle at feeders and reluctant to fly away when disturbed please give us a call. Many of these birds will also have diarrhea with pasted feces around the vent and may be experiencing respiratory difficulty with open mouthed breathing. We started seeing birds like this three weeks ago from La Pine and have since seen them from Sunriver, then Deschutes River Woods and today from Bend’s west-side and from Shevlin Park. The infection seems to be moving north over time. What YOU Can Do: To reduce the spread of the bacteria, clean feeders with a 10% bleach and water solution, rinse well and dry. Dont put the feeders back up for one to two weeks, so that affected birds wont be concentrated in one location. Rake up waste seeds/droppings below the feeders. Bird feeders with rough surfaces, cracks, or crevices are difficult to sanitize and should not be used. When using feeders, the location should be changed at regular intervals. Addition of more feeders may reduce crowding and minimize opportunity for interaction and contamination. Birdseed should be stored in rodent proof containers. Please call High Desert Wildlife Rescue at 541-241-8680 if you have any questions.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 09:16:10 +0000