finnbay Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 The Ely Vet Clinic is reporting today that a significant number of redpolls are succumbing to salmonella in our area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micpic Posted April 3, 2009 Share Posted April 3, 2009 Do you suppose it could be from peanut additives to some bird seeds or suet.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finnbay Posted April 3, 2009 Author Share Posted April 3, 2009 Interesting idea, Mike. Salmonella is pretty common in the bird world, and I would suspect with the large numbers of redpolls around this winter, and especially gathering around bird feeders, that it's probably being spread quite easily among the population. I'm sure some of the other birders will have some ideas as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdsong Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I wondered about the suet itself, hadn't thought about the peanuts. I haven't seen them at the suet feeder though. Don't the vets have any ideas? Kind of sad to be losing the little guys just when we have all gotten to enjoy them so much. I just got all the feeders washed and filled with new food again, but I'm afraid it is still the hawk picking off my birds. Yesterday he took one of my cute little fox sparrows!! So far he is leaving the dog alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayinMN Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I have noticed that some of the redpolls at my feeder look terrible and knocking on deaths door. I think the majority of the healthy ones have moved north and the ones still around here are in a weakened state. I have noticed they spend a lot of time sitting around all fluffed up and lethargic looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MN Shutterbug Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 That's not good news at all. Birdsong, if the hawk would take Maggie, he'd have enough to eat for a long time and would leave your birds alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdsong Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I have noticed that some of the redpolls at my feeder look terrible and knocking on deaths door. I think the majority of the healthy ones have moved north and the ones still around here are in a weakened state. I have noticed they spend a lot of time sitting around all fluffed up and lethargic looking. My red polls never looked bad, but I had one finch and one cardinal that were obviously sick this winter that had a marked hunch in the lower back. Otherwise were fluffed up and lethargic as you mention. Have you noticed it? It seemed more than just the fluffing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayinMN Posted April 4, 2009 Share Posted April 4, 2009 I haven't noticed a hunched back with the ones at my feeders. The red polls early this winter, when it was much colder out, were active and not fluffed out at all so I started thinking something was a bit odd with the few that are still around. Healthy birds will fluff their feathers out to keep warm when roosting or cold, but these birds are fluffed up almost all the time. It seems their wings stick out a little more then usual and their eyes are also dull and usually half opened. I see on MOU others are reporting sick red polls too. I think this is a bigger problem than infected feeder stations. None of the other birds at my feeders seem to be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moose99 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I've seen sick looking Redpolls at my feeders also, plus a couple that have died. We don't have any peanut food out, though. We still have dozens here every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Foss Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 We've had some redpolls with Salmonella poisoning, too. Not many. We've had mixed flocks of redpolls and siskins numbering up to 300 this winter, with no more than sometimes one or two at a time that seem lethargic. I think four or five have died all winter that we know of. We have about two dozen left now, although they don't look stressed. While salmonella outbreaks can occur independently of backyard feeding stations, the concentrations of large numbers of birds at the feeders can add to the risk.Here are some excerpts from a Canadian fact sheet on salmonella poisoning in birds (people can contract it, too). It's a short but very informative read, and anyone who feeds birds should know this stuff.Salmonella in SongbirdsSalmonella is a type of bacterium found in the gutof many species of birds both domestic and wild. Duringperiods of stress it can cause outbreaks of sickness anddeath. Its importance in songbird populations generally andthe occurrence of outbreaks in this province specifically arediscussed in this factsheet.Types of SalmonellaSalmonella bacteria are common normal inhabitantsof the gut of many wild and domestic birds. There arethousands of types (serotypes) though the most important insongbirds is called Salmonella typhimurium. It is possibleto even further identify the bacteria into “phagetypes”. This“fingerprinting” helps to show whether illness in differentspecies of birds or in different geographical areas may berelated.Salmonellosis as a DiseaseBirds carry these bacteria as normal inhabitants oftheir gut. Disease can occur in susceptible segments of thepopulation when stresses increase. Usually the youngestand oldest birds are the most vulnerable but large segmentsof the population can be affected when events occur suchas ice storms, failure in important food sources, etc. Thestress of low nutrition, the higher concentrations of birdsaround available food (such as feeders) and the resultantease in spread of disease from one bird to another contributeto large scale outbreaks.Sick birds will often appear uncomfortable, withheads drooped, wings out, feathers fluffed up, and mayappear to be breathing heavily. Their behaviour maychange from the normally shy habits of small birds toindifference. This type of behaviour leaves them moresusceptible to predation by larger birds or cats and leavesthem more exposed to poor weather.Outbreaks in NewfoundlandIn the winter of 1997-98, a large outbreak ofSalmonellosis was witnessed across eastern North America.Sick and dead birds were seen in at least 15 eastern andmidwest US states and all Canadian provinces fromManitoba eastwards. The total number of birds that diedwill never be known but it would easily be in the thousands.The species of birds affected included the CommonRedpoll, Pine Siskins, Evening Grosbeaks, Purple Finchesand American goldfinches.In Newfoundland we confirmed this disease inEvening Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls and Pine Siskins.We saw it in communities as far apart as Wabush, GooseBay, St. George’s, Gander and Portugal Cove (see map).With such a wide distribution there were surely many pointsin between that also saw this disease.In addition, we saw a smaller outbreak ofSalmonella typhimurium in House Sparrows in Howley(February 1999) and Carmanville (March 1999) . In thecase of the deaths in Carmanville it was indicated that outof approximately 40 birds seen flocking together, 30 haddied over a two week period. It is suggested that housesparrow outbreaks tend to be more localized due to theirfeeding habits.Impact on other animals and humansThough these outbreaks are mostly of importanceto the bird species affected they can also affect other typesof animals including humans. Cats that attack sicksongbirds can pick up the illness and possibly pass it on tothe humans that are caring for it. In addition, humans thatpick up sick or dead birds or clean up contaminated feedersmay become infected. In one case in this province, a mousedied that ate feed that fell from a feeder where sick birdshad been recovered. This mouse had the same type ofSalmonella as the sick birds.Precautions for minimizing the spread of SalmonellaFor people who put out feed for birds in the winter,it is advisable to monitor these feeders to make sure thatthey don’t become a source of infection. This wouldinclude making sure the feeders are clean before they arefirst put out and that feed with no apparent signs of mold isused. Feed that may have gotten damp during storage couldcontain dangerous molds. Once in the feeders the seeds areusually safe if they are protected from dampness andcontamination.If the winter is warm and there are periods of rainthis could allow bacteria and molds to grow. In particular,if there is spilled feed on a feeding tray that has fecalcontamination on it which is then subjected to damp warmweather this could become a serious source of infection. Itwould be important then to clean trays regularly duringwarmer weather. Once spring comes, birds usually don’tneed feeders so they can be taken down. Before puttingthem away for the season they should be properly washedincluding the use of a disinfectant.If sick birds are seen near your feeder, make surethe feeder is regularly cleaned. As birds can becomedependent on you for food during the winter, the completeremoval of the feeders might not be advisable. For personalsafety, use gloves and wash hands if handling sick or deadbirds. Dispose of dead birds so that they won’t spreaddisease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Almquist Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 I was telling Steve Foss at the swap meet that I had just taken down my feeders and bleached and washed them because I found 1 dead Redpoll and have seen 2 others that were sick and the symptoms are the same as everybody else.Thanks for the facts Steve because I never even thought that I might get poisoned from it and I did take the dead Redpoll and brought it to the field across the street. Thank goodness I was wearing gloves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spivak Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 We were going to take down our feeders here in Duluth on Wednesday morning after noticing sick redpolls on the ground. A bear beat us to it sometime early Wednesday morning. The Duluth paper has an article in it this morning (Friday, April 10). We sure have enjoyed the redpolls this winter and hate to be responsible for any of their deaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Foss Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 It's often not the feeders that are the biggest issue. Unless seed builds up in them over time and gets wet and old, the largest problem is all the seed that falls to the ground. Redpolls and a lot of other bird species are perfectly happy foraging on the ground, and pretty much every feeder operation yields a lot of old wet decaying seed built up on the lawn. That needs to be removed periodically, just as the feeders themselves need the occasional cleaning.It becomes a bigger problem this time of year. As the winter starts and intensifies, spilled seed is regularly covered up by snow, and the birds don't tend to get at it. It's also frozen solid, so bacteria can't build up. In spring, the melting snow not only uncovers all that old seed, but the warm temps allow it to start decaying.And it needs to be put in containers and taken out with the trash. If it's tossed off in the woods or at the edge of the yard or in a compost pile, the birds will go over there and continue to eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spivak Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Good point about the seed on the ground. That's been the message around here too--to clean up the area under the feeders. Laura Erickson's "For the Birds" this morning was all about the salmonella outbreak in siskins and redpolls. The morning we removed and cleaned up our feeders we also cleaned up as much seed as we could and put it in the trash can. We covered the ground with a tarp to keep the birds off of the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now ↓↓↓ or ask your question and then register. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.