 Birds get salmonella via contaminated food, like when are able to poop into the food. Follow these handy tips for dealing with sick or dead birds at the feeder. Who Gets It? Any bird can get salmonella. However, it is particularly common among little birds, such as Pine Siskins and Goldfinches. But, House Finch, Red Crossbill, Chickadees, pretty much any bird is susceptible. Larger birds, like the Evening Grosbeak pictured here, the Redpoll, and the Red Crossbill, are also at risk but can sometimes develop resistance to the bacteria. We have turned many of these around at Native Bird Care. But they can become carriers. How Do Birds Get It? Birds get salmonella by ingesting it orally, and it can be passed on to baby birds via the egg. It has spread unstopped via bird feeders across the country over the last decade, becoming frightening outbreaks that have killed thousands of birds. The spread is worsened during bird irruptions, when birds leave their territories in large numbers due to food shortages or other factors. This happened in 2020-2021/2022. Many people were finding dead Pine Siskins and Red Crossbills throughout the PNW. Unfortunately, salmonella is spread via feeders - especially if those feeders allow birds to soil the food with their feces. Flat feeders are one example of what to avoid. Should We Remove Feeders? We no longer advise removing feeders, as is commonly suggested. Here's our thinking. Salmonella causes starvation by triggering inflammation and plaques in the digestive tract. The birds eat, but their bodies cannot metabolize the food. Starvation is why they might sit at the bird feeder, fluffed up and lethargic for hours. It is a painful and slow way to go. Since some birds might recover if provided food and water, why not give them a chance? Also, for feeder removal to work, all the feeders in a particular area would have to come down. Otherwise, we are just causing higher concentrations of birds at fewer feeders, potentially contaminating other birds. Can I Get Salmonella? Yes. However, it is unlikely. It is more likely your outside cat will get it. We are usually large enough to fend it off, but cats that eat diseased birds are at risk. Always use gloves and even a mask when cleaning your bird feeders and baths. What are the symptoms of a bird with salmonella? Lethargy (fatigue, weakness) is a key sign. Notably, the bacteria affect the bird's ability to think straight (cognitive impairment), which is why they are easy to pick up, land on the ground, don't move much, and don't try to escape predators. They look tired, frequently close their eyes, sit at the feeder, and can have saliva around their mouths. They may still be able to fly, however, if they are in an early to mid-level stage. Once captured, their survival instinct kicks in, and they may act normally. A day or two later, if they have not been medicated with an appropriate antibiotic, they will usually succumb. If we get these birds early enough, we can save some. What Should I Do If I See A Sick Bird? Always attempt to capture ill or impaired-looking birds, unless it is a species or situation where it is not wise to do so without consultation. The sooner we get them, the higher the chance they have. All salmonella-sick birds will be hypothermic and starving. And, they need medical intervention and medications ASAP. Without these professional interventions, they will die. Please do not keep sick birds and attempt any therapy on your own. These birds are often unable to swallow liquid; if you try to give them water, they can drown. You can get them warm; this is very important. Place in a Box: Put the sick bird into a small box on a comfy towel with a paper towel placed over it. Use a hot pad under the box or warm up a room to a very warm temperature with a space heater. If you use a sock filled with rice or a water bag, know that it only stays warm for about 5 minutes before it starts to cool. Once cool, they pull heat from the bird. A hot room is safer. Monitor how temperature in the box frequently. Call a rescue.  If birds can poop onto the food, then they are contaminating the food. Feeder Suggestions for Active Outbreak (even one bird) First - Clean and disinfect feeders immediately. Keep a second set of feeders so that you can take some down and switch to clean ones. Salmonella survives freezing and high temperatures and persists for a long time in the environment. Bleach is necessary (not vinegar!). Instructions below. Second - Switch to feeders less likely to spread disease - mesh hanging types or hoppers with very narrow feeding troughs. Remove feeders that allow a bird to poop into the food. Isolate species by feeding foods specific to the species, see below.  Use feeders that let birds poop on the ground. Cut off seed-catchers, use mesh feeders, hoppers with narrow feeding areas. Feeder Tips:
 Food Choice:
 Cleaning Feeders:
 Baths & Water Features
 Signs of Salmonella: Symptoms:
Found a Dead Bird?
Living, but sick birds:
Can Chickens get Salmonella? Yes. But chickens carry their own particular subspecies of Salmonella. It too can be spread to wild birds. In fact, agricultural animal waste is one source of Salmonella infection for wild birds, particularly those species most associated with agricultural animals, starlings and house sparrows. Why Pine Siskins & Finches?
You might wonder why the Pine Siskins are ill, while Chickadees and Nuthatches are seemingly fine. The finch family of birds seems to be more susceptible to both Salmonella and Conjunctivitis. This family includes Pine Siskin, House Finch, Evening Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, and the Goldfinches. Raptors and Owls that prey on sick birds also contract the disease. Notably, this disease was spread from agricultural poultry farms, and more birds that congregate near agricultural animals carry the infection. A few birds will carry the bacteria in their guts, without visible external symptoms. These asymptomatic carriers can shed the bacteria in their feces; if this fecal matter contaminates food, such as at a feeder, the disease will spread. Salmonella can lie dormant in a bird's guts until the bird experiences deep stress. Until then, it may not be spread, but once active, it does. Some birds can overcome the disease and build sufficient immunity to survive. This is usually the larger birds, like the Evening Grosbeak. Dr. Wesley Hochachka of Cornell Lab of Ornithology speculates that "many other species are innately more able to fend off Salmonella infections," and develop immunity. However, given the death rate, he notes that it doesn't appear to be happening in the Pine Siskin and Redpoll (or Goldfinch). Is Disease Really Spread at the Feeder? Birds share disease wherever they congregate, and avian scientists confirm that bird feeders are a location in which disease can be passed to other birds (Adelman et al. 2015; Dhondt et al. 2007; Galbraith et al. 2017; Hernandez et al. 2012; Lawson et al. 2018). Many diseases are spread through fecal-oral transmission (meaning the birds accidentally eat poop). Any feeder in which a bird can sit in its food is a potential source of infection. Flat feeders and those with large seed catchers are the primary culprits. Salmonella is just one of several pathogens that can be spread at the bird buffet. Others are: conjunctivitis, avian pox, aspergillosis, trichomoniasis, and coccidia, along with internal parasites, mites, and feather lice. However, not ALL birds carry these pathogens (just like not all people carry the cold virus). In fact, studies show that only a few birds actually carry Salmonella. Salmonella is highly contagious because it survives in the environment (say a bird feeder) for a long time- "several weeks in dry environments and several months in wet environments" (FDA). In contrast, conjunctivitis lasts "hours to a few days," according to Dr. Hochachka. *Evening Grosbeaks 70-90+% decline is caused by habitat loss and food shortages (spruce budworm killed by pesticides). However, it is up to us to help these birds by not making them sick at our feeders. In fact, clean feeders may be helping to save this species. Humans can reduce disease spread by keeping their feeders clean. You can play a big part in saving songbirds simply by keeping your feeders safe, clean, and predator-free. Next, you can do more by installing window treatments to prevent birds from killing themselves on windows. Comments are closed.
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