Bird health watch: identifying sickness
As birds congregate more during seasonal changes, the close quarters at feeders can become breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. Keeping feeders clean mitigates these risks, ensuring the health of visiting birds. Recognizing signs of illness and maintaining feeder hygiene is crucial for maintaining a safe environment for your visitors and protecting your local wildlife.
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Most common illnesses
As birds congregate more during seasonal changes, the close quarters at feeders can become breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. Keeping feeders clean mitigates these risks, ensuring the health of visiting birds. Recognizing signs of illness and maintaining feeder hygiene is crucial for maintaining a safe environment for your visitors and protecting your local wildlife.
Avian pox
Avian pox is a highly transmittable viral infection that, can lead to death through secondary complications. It spreads through contact with infected birds, contaminated food or water, or through contaminated surfaces.
Symptoms:
- Wart-like growths on the head, legs, feet, or wings
- Impaired vision and mobility
- Lethargy
Taking action:
- Thoroughly clean the feeder.
- Remove your feeder for at least a week to discourage congregations of birds.
Extra Reading:
Mycoplasmal Conjunctivitis
Also known as finch conjunctivitis, it is caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum. It was first documented in eastern house finches, but has been observed in other species, such as the American goldfinch, purple finch, lesser goldfinch, pine grosbeak, evening grosbeak, and house sparrow. As the infection spreads, it can cause blindness and starvation.
Symptoms:
- Red, swollen eyelids
- Ocular discharge
- Crusts along the eyelids in the advanced stages of the disease
Taking action:
- Thoroughly clean the feeder.
- Remove your feeder for at least a week to discourage congregations of birds.
Extra Reading:
Trichomonosis
Also known as canker in pigeons and doves and frounce in birds of prey, it is caused by a parasite and can lead to severe outbreaks. It is spread through contaminated water or regurgitated food.
Symptoms:
- Difficulty swallowing
- Drooling
- Labored breathing
- Wet plumage around the bill
- Fluffed up plumage
- Lethargy
- Swollen neck
Taking action:
- Change out the seed in your feeder.
- Thoroughly clean the feeder.
Extra Reading:
Scaly mite legs
Various swellings on the legs and feet of birds can stem from a variety of factors, but mites are the most common. These scales form as a response to the irritation caused by the mites, which can also burrow into skin tissue.
Symptoms:
- Swollen feet
- Scales on legs and feet
- Loss of feet or toes
Taking action:
- Change out the seed in your feeder.
- Thoroughly clean the feeder.
- Remove your feeder for at least a week to discourage congregations of birds.
Extra Reading:
Other behaviors to look out for
If you are not sure what to look out for, there are some common symptoms that may indicate your visitor is sick. Be on the lookout for lethargic birds, as that often indicates that your visitors are not feeling well. A good rule of thumb is to follow your local news. Often, if there is an outbreak of a disease, you will be prompted to take down your feeders.
Other symptoms to look out for are:
- Difficulty breathing
- Poor appetite
- Unresponsiveness
- Lack of coordination and loss of balance
- Drooping wings
- Dragging legs
- Twisting the head and neck
- Fluffed-up feathers. These are not always a sign of illness, especially in winter! If your visitors otherwise appear well, are eating, and are not lethargic, it’s likely that there is no need to worry.
Understanding Avian Health
Not all birds who visit your feeder will be sick. Nature can be tough, and sometimes birds may not look their best but you may not need to worry about them.
Molting
Bird molting is the process where birds shed old feathers to make way for new growth, ensuring their plumage remains in good condition for insulation and flight. This typically occurs annually, but the timing can vary among species; most birds molt after the breeding season but before migration. Expect to see birds looking less sleek and possibly avoiding the feeder as they can feel more vulnerable during this time.
Injury
Bird injuries can occur from various sources such as window collisions, cat attacks, or entanglement in garden netting. Injured birds may appear lethargic, have visible wounds, or struggle with normal movements.
If you encounter an injured bird, it’s best to contact a local wildlife rehabilitator for appropriate care and treatment.
It is also best if you clean your feeder as a precaution after seeing an injured bird. They are more susceptible to illness, so keeping your feeder clean is essential for helping them.
Additionally, take extra care to not run out of seeds, as injured birds may rely solely on your feeder for food.
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IMPORTANT!
As some of these diseases can also be passed on to us and our pets, so be sure to always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling feeders or food and avoid touching your face or mouth while handling them.
Cleaning your feeder
Keeping your feeder clean is essential for the well-being of your visitors. The high concentration of food in such a small area as a bird feeder is not common in nature, as food is usually more dispersed. As such, there is a higher risk for the food to get contaminated.
Bird Buddy is designed with the safety and comfort of our feathered friends in mind and is incredibly easy to clean.
To effectively clean the Bird Buddy, mix one part bleach with nine parts water. Disassemble and empty the feeder, then soak it in this solution for at least 10 minutes.
Scrub off any debris or mold with a brush, rinse well with clean water, and let it air-dry completely before refilling. Avoid towel-drying as it can leave moisture that promotes mold and fungus growth.
Keep in mind that moisture can lead to the development of mold, which can make the seeds dangerous to ingest by your feathery visitors, so make sure your Bird Buddy is completely dry before placing it back on its perch.
IMPORTANT!
As some of these diseases can also be passed on to us, be sure to always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling feeders or food and avoid touching your face or mouth while handling them.
Reporting photos
Reporting photos helps enhance our AI’s ability to identify them accurately in the future. More importantly, it lets us help you with tips on how to help prevent diseases from spreading. If you are unsure if your visitor is actually sick, report the photo anyway. Every report helps!
To report a photo, follow the menu icon on every photo in the app and select the option ‘report sick or injured bird’. This will flag this photo with a special tag.
