SALT LAKE CITY – State wildlife biologists are asking anyone with bird feeders or bird baths to temporarily remove or clean them if they notice dead or sick birds due to the growing number of sick or dead birds at feeders in northern Utah.
Officials said on Tuesday they suspected the increase would be linked to a salmonella outbreak linked to the deaths of many songbirds in several US states in recent months.
Salmonellosis, as it is officially called, is a bacterial disease that is transmitted through direct contact. It is commonly spread through infected feces, according to the Utah Wildlife Division.
Officials did not specify when the deaths and diseases of the songbirds began to increase; however, they said that salmonellosis typically affects birds such as pine siskins, deer and cassin quails, but can affect any bird that comes in contact with a bird feeder on a regular basis. Common signs of infection include ruffled feathers, rapid breathing, lethargy, weakness, neurological signs and diarrhea.
The recent increase in reports of sick or dead songbirds is why biologists in the division are asking utahns who have seen sick or dead birds in their area to temporarily remove all bird feeders and bird baths for at least a month and clean.
“We all like to see wild birds coming to our feeders, but feeders that are not cleaned properly can be more of a risk than a benefit to the birds,” DWR biologist Adam Brewerton said in a statement Tuesday.
Experts in the division said the removal of bird feeders and baths would spread the birds and help slow the transmission of the disease to birds. People are encouraged to wear gloves when handling both items.
Once removed, people are encouraged to thoroughly clean their feeder and bird baths with soap and water before disinfecting them with 10% bleach solution.
“Soak it for at least 30 minutes, then rinse well and let it dry completely,” division officials wrote. “Clean the area under the bird feeder and remove any bird seeds that could attract birds to the area.”
Utahs who see more than five sick or dead birds in their yards are encouraged to contact the nearest division office, where officials can perform disease tests if they happen in a new area.
The Utah Wildlife Division has listed outbreaks reported in Idaho, Oregon and Washington in recent months. California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials told the Sacramento KCRA last month that a salmonella outbreak had also been reported in California since December, following an increase in deaths in most U.S. deer and pine trees in the Bay Area and Sierra regions.
“Our laboratory documents outbreaks of salmonellosis periodically during the winter in pine cones,” Krysta Rogers, a California-based environmental scientist, told KCRA on Feb. 8. “The previous outbreak took place between December 2015 and March 2016.”
But it’s not just biologists in the western United States who are complaining to residents about cleaning feeders and bird baths. The Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in North Carolina also reported an outbreak in the Carolina region, according to the WCNC in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Outbreaks of salmonellosis of this nature are most often reported in the winter months and are spread through the bird feeder, according to Cornell Wildlife Health Lab. The lab pointed out that humans and pets can be infected by sick songbirds, but it is preventable.
“Common sense hygiene can protect against human infections: washing hands, avoiding consumption, drinking or personal care while handling contaminated animals or equipment,” he wrote.