By Kristen Levine, Reporter
Ten states across the country have reported incidents of sick, dying birds since late May of this year. The birds, frequently blue jays, starlings, and American robins were suffering from an illness that rendered them blind and crippled with neurological problems. Conventional treatments such as antibiotics have had no noted effect on the illness, and sick birds most frequently die of the ailment. Tests for avian flu and bacterial infections have led to no conclusive results.
The Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary commented on the ongoing outbreak:
“Given that the reports of these bird deaths remain a fluid situation, Mass Audubon continues to take its guidance from the MassWildlife state agency and are not commenting beyond that for the time being,” stated Mass Audubon Public Relations Manager Michael Connor.
MassWildlife, or the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, has recommended that the public cease use of bird feeders and bird baths. Like humans congregating in public spaces during a pandemic, birds sharing a feeder or bath can transmit illnesses to each other unintentionally. No birds in Massachusetts have been recorded to have caught or died of the mystery disease, but MassWildlife encourages reports of dead birds to state biologists.
Bird deaths in the spring and summer are not unusual, with only 30% of a breeding season’s offspring expected to survive, as reported by the Smithsonian National Zoo’s migratory bird ecologist Brian Evans. In the affected states, however, the typical mortality rates rocketed past the norm. While the illness has no reports of jumping from birds to other species, MassWildlife recommends caution in handling discovered dead or sick birds, and to keep household pets away from them.
As of July 30, MassWildlife posted an update on the state website citing that ‘no large-scale mortality events have been reported in Massachusetts. As the investigation continues in other impacted regions, MassWildlife is asking the public to continue to refrain from feeding birds or putting out bird baths’, to continue containment and mitigation of the disease’s spread. Regular cleaning of bird baths and feeders is recommended, with instructions for sanitation on the MassWildlife website. An online form to report dead birds to MassWildlife biologists can be found at www.mass.gov/forms/report-observations-of-dead-birds.