Mysterious illness plagues Pennsylvania songbirds
Courtesy of MetroCreative
The American robin became susceptible to spreading a a mysterious illness this summer that has led to the deaths of songbirds throughout the region.
Courtesy of MetroCreative
Songbirds like this house sparrow, seen feeding its offspring, became spreaders of a mysterious illness this summer.
It’s the birds’ turn to begin the practice of social distancing.
Officials with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) are investigating the mysterious deaths of songbirds throughout 27 counties in the state. So far, there have been no confirmed reports in Western Pennsylvania.
Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, said the mystery illness was first noticed in the Washington, D.C., and Maryland area and has been spreading.
Symptoms, according to the Game Commission, are discharge and crusting around the eyes, eye lesions, and neurological issues including falling over and head tremors.
The illness has been spotted in 12 species of birds, such as blue jays, American robins, house finch and house sparrow.
To stop birds from spreading the disease to each other, the Game Commission has asked Pennsylvania residents to take several precautions, including not feeding birds or providing water in bird baths until a cause is determined.
The Game Commission also recommends that bird baths and feeders be cleaned with a 10% bleach solution.
Bonner said the simplest analogy for the situation is the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We needed to socially distance, and we’re trying to get birds to socially distance a bit more,” he said.
Marjorie Howard, president of the Greene County-based Ralph K. Bell Bird Club, said she had spoken to fellow members who had taken down their feeders in response to news of the mystery disease. Overall though, they have not seen the impact of the illness in the local songbirds. The situation is also not having much of an effect on the club’s activities.
“We do not have many activities in the summertime because of the heat,” Howard said.
According to the Game Commission, several diseases have been ruled out, such as salmonella, avian influenza virus and West Nile virus.
Bonner says that bird diseases usually present symptoms in the eyes, or present neurological symptoms.
“The two of them combined are what makes this a little bit unusual, as far as symptoms go,” Bonner said.
The lack of confirmed reports of the mystery illness in Western Pennsylvania is not surprising to Bonner. He notes the Allegheny Ridge tends to provide a buffer when diseases are moving from the East Coast.
“That gives us a little bit of a natural barrier for things moving over,” Bonner said.
That does not mean they are not taking seriously the possibility that the illness will appear locally. Bonner said they have received many reports about dead birds in the area, but nothing that necessarily points to the mystery disease.
“It’s a little tough, you’re trying to get information from someone over the phone. It’s hard to say if we’re seeing this specific condition here,” Bonner said.
The Game Commission has received more than 230 reports from southwestern counties. Of all the reports statewide, which is more than 1,000, the Game Commission says that only 25% to 30% of those are believed to be connected to disease.
Given the current situation, Bonner said the Audubon Society felt it had an obligation to stop selling bird feeders and seed.
“We have our own line of bird seed that’s very popular. We discontinued sales until we know more,” Bonner said.
According to Bonner, the Audubon Society has heard concerns that birds may be dependent on feeders, but he says that is a nonissue.
“Even when there is a full feeder, they may only get 10% of their nutrition from a feeder. It’s not going to hurt them at this time,” Bonner said.
The moratorium on feeding birds also extends to hummingbirds. Though the mystery disease has not shown up in hummingbirds, Bonner says other species will drink nectar from their feeders.
“We still don’t know what it is and the best thing we can do for birds is to stop feeding them,” Bonner said.