Pull in bird feeders - sickness spreading among Western Washington birds (Spokane: homes, safer)

[Diana Holbrook]

We aren’t the only ones having a pandemic... there’s evidently a sickness going around small song birds and they’re spreading it through bird feeders. Fish and wildlife is asking everyone to pull in all bird feeders. Here is the link for the press release about this:

https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/help-protect-wild-birds-deadly-salmonellosis

My picture is the symptom that you will see - little birds that don’t fly away when you approach and seem tame. Some are even finding dead birds in their feeders.

This sick little bird is sitting on our hummingbird feeder because we’ve taken away all the other bird feeders. Now I’ll have to take that away too and bleach it again.

I’m sad because this is the first year we’ve really fed the little birds here through the winter and it was really bringing us a lot of joy to watch them. For now, it's better for them if we DON'T.

I sure hope we can catch a break soon we need some good news!

[flyingsaucermom]

If we don’t feed them will they find enough food in the environment? Does this apply to hummingbird?

[Diana Holbrook]

As far as I can tell it does not really apply to hummingbird feeders unless they are close to other feeders (like mine were) where they mingle with the little songbirds. Make it so they don't cross paths and I think hummingbird feeders won't have this problem.


DFW says the songbirds will find plenty of food naturally, and safer, for now. We don't have permafreeze or snow cover that prevents them from finding plenty to eat right now.


If we get a big snow, maybe put some seed out then.

[rkcarguy]

Hummingbird feeders are apparently ok, I was hoping I didn't have to take ours down. It's a beehive of activity year round, as there are some species of hummingbirds which do not migrate south (FYI-don't put your hummingbird feeders away as they have no flowers to feed from in the winter). During last years snow storm, they were hiding under the deck and zipping out to the feeder and back every 5-10 minutes.

[flyingsaucermom]

Speaking of hummingbird bird feeders...

I inherited a feeder from previous owner and she left me three jars of nectar. She used 1/3 to 1 cup ratio (sugar to water). I usually do 1/4 to 1 cup however. I just made my first batch for this property a few weeks ago. Hummers are drinking it... but so are these big furry flies! Speaking of flies... they are a big problem on the property in general. It’s overwhelming. I don’t know if all homesteads have flies like this but I plan to learn about natural remedies to control them.

[Diana Holbrook]

Every place I’ve ever looked says the 1 to 4 ratio is the right amount.

I get some wasps and little fruit flies sometimes in the sugar water. You should have far fewer flies once we have a good freeze but it’s been a pretty mild winter. These pineapple express events where it gets freakishly warm like we just had can bring a lot of those kinds of things out of hibernation temporarily.

[grega94]

Thanks for sharing this!!! My mom said she saw a very poofy bird in her feeder, it was very lethargic and sleeping in the feeder, she was even able to hold it.

[Diana Holbrook]

Yeah that’s a symptom poor thing…

If you have a rescue nearby they can be cured with antibiotics… Or if any other pet eats them or comes in contact with him… It’s just salmonella - bacterial infection. Get them treated early if they show any signs of illness.

Careful handling them and the feeders and wash up after!

[PS90]

Thanks for the information. Does anyone know if this is statewide or just a Western WA issue at present? The cited article was listed as from Spokane, but as far as I could see, only mentions a few Western WA counties.

[WendyK]

I sent a message to the contact referenced in that bulletin because I was finding the same problem at my feeders here in Eastern WA. She said that yes, it's in Eastern WA too and to pull in the feeders and clean them as instructed. She said the birds would be fine without extra seeds for a few weeks - they've been surviving without it for a long time! I had found a couple dead birds near my feeders and was noticing some of the tame ones not flying away when I approached them.