Salmonella & Feeders

Do I eat where I poop?

Follow these handy tips for dealing with sick or dead birds at the feeder. 

Sick birds are still showing up at feeders all across the country. Mainly these are Pine Siskins ill with Salmonella, a bacterial infection. 

Salmonella can be passed to baby birds from their parents. The species most vulnerable are the smaller finches, like pine siskin and goldfinch, but red crossbills and other birds can also get this disease. 

Salmonella spread is stopped through disinfecting or removing feeders, and using feeders that are less likely to spread disease. Note that contamination happens as soon as a sick bird lands on a feeder.

Basics and Instructions for Cleaning, Feeder Suggestions:

*1) If you have a sick bird - remove the feeders for a week or two. Take found sick birds to a rescue. 

*2) If you have had sick birds, switch to feeders less likely to spread disease - mesh hanging types or hoppers with very narrow feeding trough. Remove feeders that allow a bird to poop into the food! Isolate species by feeding foods specific for the species, see below. 

*Continue feeding ONLY if you are able/willing to keep the feeders cleaned and disinfected, and able to do this frequently. Fecal matter and saliva are how this disease is spread. Salmonella survives freezing, and hot temps, and lasts a long time in the environment. Bleach is necessary (not vinegar!). Instructions below. 

*If you are seeing more than one or two sick birds, please change your feeders as they are likely spreading disease. See below. 

Please explore the instructions below. 

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If birds can poop onto the food, then they are contaminating the food.

What to Do Now:

Sick or Dead Birds: 

• ​Disinfect all feeders, using protocol below (scrub, bleach, wash).
• Don't use feeders that let birds poop into their food. ​
• Commit to strict and frequent cleaning (see below).

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Use feeders that let birds poop on the ground. Cut off seed-catchers, use mesh feeders, hoppers with narrow feeding areas.

Feeder Tips:

• Use easy to clean feeders. 
• Avoid feeders that let birds poop into their food.  
• Use more feeders to separate birds.
• Mesh feeders are safer as birds poop on the ground. 
• Cut off seed catching trays (don't leave sharp edges).
• Don't feed under the feeders.
• Do not put feeders into one area. 
• Move feeders occasionally. 
• Tube feeders - saliva transmits disease. Don't use tube feeders if you have sick birds. Use mesh until the finches have migrated on.  

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Food Choice:

• Feed individual seeds rather than mixes
• Give at risk pine siskins their own mesh feeder of sunflower hearts or chips. This will isolate them from other birds, reducing spread and your work load.
• Feed the tiny finches, Am & lesser goldfinch, Nyger thistle in a separate mesh feeder.
• Keep millet feeders upaway from the other feeders, as they drop seed and birds should not eat where others are pooping.
• Feed whole sunflower seeds individually as well, to those that eat whole seeds - nuthatches, chickadees, etc. Mesh feeders work well for these birds as well. 
• Avoid all seed mixes with fillers - milo, wheat, corn - as they are tossed out  and collect under feeders. (They also attract starlings, house sparrow, and mice).
• Feed ground feeders - doves, junco, sparrows - away from everyone else on the ground (except don't if there is a cat lurking around).
• Hummingbirds may continue to be fed.
• Feeding suet is fine. Follow the Safe Suet post's recommendations in post above. *UNLESS your sick birds are eating the suet, then remove or move away. Hot wash clean your suet feeders too. 

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Cleaning Feeders:

• ​Bleach once a week or more if you have sick birds. 
• Bleach once to twice a month without disease.
• Never use a wipe!
• Never use a leave-in disinfectant of any kind.
• Always wash after bleaching. Bleach leaves a toxic residue. 
• Scrub feeders first with a scrub brush
• Soak feeder in 10% bleach/water solution for 5 min. (CDC recommends a minimum of 4 min).
• Wash with mild dish soap to remove bleach film.
• Rinse well and dry completely before putting up.

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Baths & Water Features

• TIP: A large plant tray placed on top of a bird bath allows for easy removal and cleaning during outbreaks. 
• Scrub baths at least once a week or two times a month under normal conditions.  
• Do not put soap or cleaning chemicals in your birdbaths.
• Do not get bleach or soap in your yard, both are deadly to birds. Instead, take the bath top off and wash in a tub or driveway. 
• An outdoor hot water faucet is super handy for outdoor disinfection; use at highest heat. 
  
• Water features should be turned off, cleaned as best they can be. With disease spread, do this more frequently or turn the feature off.  
• If you have large water features you cannot clean easily, remove your feeders if you have sick birds. 

Clean up all debris from under feeders

• Rake or sweep up all seed hulls, leaves, needles (a shop vacuum helps).
• Remove first inch of soil or wash your grass very well. 
• Place a tarp or cardboard under the feeders for easy debris removal. 

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​Signs of Salmonella: Symptoms: Main sign is a bird sitting listless and not moving. Salmonella causes lesions and inflammation through the digestive track and esophagus.

It enters the bloodstream and then organs and brain. Once in the brain it causes mental issues, which is why sick birds act "tame" and they do not fly away. Birds ultimately die from either starvation, since salmonella lesions impair digestion, or organ failure. 

1. Sick birds act lethargic (tired)
2. Will sit a lot either at the feeder or on the ground.
3. They are often fluffed up. 
4. Will act tame or tolerant of your approach.
5. Eyes may be partially or fully closed, may have some redness.
6. May be drooling or have signs of vomit.
7. Might have head tucked under wing in broad daylight. 
8. Easily confused with a bird in shock from hitting a window.

What do we do if we find a sick or dead bird?

• Dead birds: use gloves to handle either sick or dead birds.
• Do not bury or leave dead birds out.
• Burying spreads the disease into the soil.
• Put dead birds into a plastic bag and dispose into trash.

Living, but sick birds:

• Take a hand towel and pick up the bird.
• You can also use a butterfly net.
• Use gloves or a towel.
• Place into a small box or paper bag, on paper towels.
• Never leave sick birds in your yard, they are suffering, and spreading the disease.
• Find a local songbird rehabilitator or call your local Fish and Wildlife agency. 

Can humans or pets get Salmonella? 
Yes, but it is not likely. The amounts in bird feces are tiny, and we are large. Cats that eat birds can and do get it. But if you have outside cats, you shouldn't be feeding birds. 

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 associated with those animals (starlings and house sparrows). 

Please use common sense when handling sick or dead birds, and when cleaning your feeders and baths. Gloves are mandatory.

If you would like citations for the research mentioned, email us at [email protected]

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Why Pine Siskins & Finches?
Pine Siskins are particularly susceptible to Salmonella infection. The finch species  experienced an "irruption" year in 2020, which is when  an unusually large number of a species appears in areas further outside of their range. This trend seems to be continuing, and is likely caused by a shortage of conifer seeds. (Audubon has a nice article on this irruption).

You might wonder why the Pine Siskins are ill, while the 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 who congregate near agricultural animals carry the infection. A few birds will carry the bacteria in their guts, without visible external symptoms. These asymptomatic carriers will shed the bacteria in their feces; if this fecal matter contaminates foods, like at a feeder, then the disease will spread.  

Some birds are able to overcome the disease and gain enough 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 that this is happening for the Pine Siskin and Redpoll. 

How & What Diseases are Spread?
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 is able to sit in their food is a potential source for infection. Flat feeders and those with large seed catchers are 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 the Salmonella bacteria.

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 survives from "hours to a few days" according to Dr. Hochachka. 

Humans can reduce disease spread by keeping their feeders clean. 

Our role in helping these birds is simple. We can create an environment in which the birds have a safe environment to feed.