Lindsay Wildlife Experience Asked To Help Curb The Spread Of Salmonellosis In Songbirds

Press release from the Lindsay Wildlife Experience:

January 27, 2021

Due to a dramatic increase of gravely ill Pine Siskin patients in our wildlife rehabilitation hospital, Lindsay Wildlife Experience is advising Contra Costa County residents to take down their bird feeders to help curb the potential spread of a deadly disease.

After seeing a small but noticeable uptick of Pine Siskin patients in December 2020, Lindsay veterinary staff has treated more than 20 Pine Siskin patients since Jan. 1, 2021 (the hospital treated two Pine Siskin patients in all of 2019). Veterinarians have worked with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine the increase in sick Pine Siskin patients and their high mortality rates is the result of salmonellosis, an infection caused by the salmonella bacteria. The disease can affect birds and is spread by water or food that is contaminated with fecal matter.

Salmonellosis has been confirmed in the patients we are seeing in our wildlife hospital, and the disease has been reported in Pine Siskins in the Bay Area and the western United States. While these diminutive migratory songbirds can wander southwards during the winter, they are being seen in unprecedented numbers, which experts attribute to a drastic reduction of conifer seeds across the boreal forests of Canada, which they call home. The boom in Pine Siskins means that more birds are congregating, including at backyard bird feeders, which can help spread the disease.

If you are seeing sick birds in your yard or neighborhood, please immediately remove your bird feeder(s) for up to three weeks to allow the birds to “socially distance” and prevent further spread of the disease. Weekly cleaning of bird feeders, including with a bleach and water solution, can help prevent feeders from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Do not overfill feeders and avoid using platform-style feeders where birds can perch.

If you find a sick or injured bird or other wildlife, please call our hospital hotline at (925) 659-8156 or email hotline@lindsaywildlife.org. While our hospital remains temporarily closed to the public, we are accepting patients in a drop-off area each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thank you for helping keep wildlife healthy and safe.

This press release was produced by the Lindsay Wildlife Experience. The views expressed are the author's own.