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BIRDS OF A FEATHER SUSCEPTIBLE TO DISEASE
Monday, January 14th, 2008 -- 1:49 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
Bird lovers may unwittingly hurt the animals they love to watch.
DNR officials remind people that feed the birds do more than simply fill the backyard feeders: every couple of days—make sure you keep them clean.
"Especially this time of year when birds are congregating together in large groups taking advantage of the available food source, they're more likely to transfer the common bird diseases that are out there," explains Nancy Businga, a wildlife health lab manager with the DNR.
"It's important to keep that birdfeeder clean, the feces on there cleaned off, to keep any food that might get wet and moldy cleaned out of there," she says.
Wildlife health experts recommend feeders be disinfected regularly throughout the feeding season.
While no big disease risks have been detected this year, salmonella is easily spread between feeding birds, Businga says.
"(Diseases) are not uncommon, especially in areas where they congregate."
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