Monroe County Master Gardener Association

Jennie sent us this information:

The latest BYGL newsletter reports on something going on with birds and I had been wondering, having seen at least 4 dead blackbirds around my yard in recent days. 

Here is a link or you can read below: What is Going on with the Birds?? | BYGL (osu.edu)

What can you do?

Report sick or dying birds.

1) As the cause is still unknown, specimen submission is critical at this stage. Please contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator if you find a sick bird.  To track the spread of the disease, the ODNR-Division of Wildlife is accepting reports of dead birds through their online reporting system a: https://apps.ohiodnr.gov/wildlife/speciessighting/.  Choose ‘Bird – Diseased/Dead’ in the ‘Species’ drop-down menu.

2) Avoid touching sick or dead birds by wearing disposable gloves and taking other precautions. USGS recommends disposing of dead birds in a sealable plastic bag with household trash.

Take down your bird feeders and empty your bird baths for 7—10 days.

1) The National Wildlife Health Center recommends temporarily removing bird feeders and bird baths “during a disease outbreak observed at bird feeders or when sick and dead birds are consistently turning up at a feeder to prevent congregation of infected and non-infected birds at the feeding site.”

Clean and disinfect bird feeders and bird baths.

1) Clean bird feeders and bird baths with a 10% household bleach solution (9 parts water:1 part bleach) and remove any spilled and potentially contaminated feed from under the feeder.

2) Clean the feeders, bird baths, and any items contaminated with bird droppings in an outdoor space or in another area of your home that is not used for food preparation or bathing. Some avian pathogens, such as Salmonella, can cause sickness in people and cleaning bird feeders and baths with you and your families health in mind is very important.

3) Remember, even when there isn’t an outbreak, it’s still important to regularly clean your bird feeders and baths to reduce the spread of other diseases that may spread among songbirds