Do you have a
bird feeder in your backyard?
The BC SPCA is
asking you to take it down, for now, in order to stop the spread of salmonella.
The bacteria, which can be found in backyard bird feeders, is linked to the deaths of a high number of birds across the province in recent weeks.
The Infection:
Primarily the outbreak is affecting Pine Siskin birds, a member of the finch family. In January alone, BC SPCA’s Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre has admitted 43 pine siskin birds showing signs of the disease.
Sick birds may appear lethargic, unusually “fluffed up”, and show signs of irritation around the eyes, the BC SPCA says.
“2021 has gotten
off to a rough start for pine siskins on southern Vancouver Island and the rest
of the province with a deadly outbreak of salmonella,” BC SPCA Wild Animal
Welfare Manager Andrea Wallace says.
Despite efforts to
save them, few survived.
Salmonella is a
severe and contagious disease so people should temporarily remove, or at least
clean, their bird feeders and bird baths to prevent further spread of the
disease.
In order to
properly clean a bird feeder, the BC SPCA recommends discarding seeds, washing
with soap and water, wash a second time with a 10% bleach solution, and rinse
and air-dry completely.
But even a clean
feeder can carry risks.
Except
for liquid feeders, the BC SPCA recommends only keeping your feeder up between
the months of October and March.
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