[Durham INC] [TPD-NC] Bird Feeding Stop Alert/Help birds: Serious new songbird epidemic, US Geological Survey asks for moratorium on feeders/bird baths

Thu Jul 1 19:11:45 EDT 2021

Hi Mimi, maybe good to reach out about the bird bath to professionals out there (I hope Kindra’s not too overwhelmed with rehab and this dialog to reply); from personal perspective only I will offer (ignore if not interested) that there are safe disinfectants both simple and special/natural (I have used one) BUT the frequency of disinfection to prevent disease spread in the water, plus the spread of birds from close contact together, make disinfection a limited slower-down but not a stoppage of spread. (The birds need ‘social distance’). I understand we aren’t seeing a crash in populations or an overwhelm of our rehabbers yet in NC but prevention of these since we’re fairly surrounded by the problem is a not unreasonable choice for people to make especially on the perimeter of affected areas (like Virginia) just as we would for insect killers of tree species and the like.

Certainly no reason to attack *anyone* for making a sober / reasonable suggestion – especially one who works literally night and day all week long to save our wildlife, often on a shoestring, out of love for the rescue. Instead, I would encourage support, both verbal and for those who can, with donations or sustainer contributions. Kindra is the one and only multi-animal full time rehabber authorized and listed on the NC Wildlife page, with a few more specialized folks who are all heroes. Burnout is a reality in this work, and being flamed for caring doesn’t help for people to choose this work and stay at it for the animals and us all. Many caring supportive wishes to our rehab folks and to everyone whatever decisions you make for wildlife! 

DH 

From: Mimi Kessler [mailto:mimikessler1 at gmail.com] 
Sent: Thursday, July 1, 2021 4:45 PM
To: Wendy Bernhardt <wendybernhardt at gmail.com>
Cc: Trinity Park Listserv <trinityparkdurhamnc at groups.io>; Old West <owdna at googlegroups.com>; Old North Durham <main at ondna.groups.io>; stadium-heights <stadium-heights at googlegroups.com>; walltown-neighbors at googlegroups.com; inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net; Colonial Village Durham <colonial-village-durham at googlegroups.com>;  <dukepark at groups.io>; Debra A Hawkins <dhawkins913311 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [TPD-NC] Bird Feeding Stop Alert/Help birds: Serious new songbird epidemic, US Geological Survey asks for moratorium on feeders/bird baths

I can take my bird feeder down, but I don't get many birds (I think they don't like the budget feed I use ;-) ). But I have a fountain and the birds bathe in it. Is there anything I can do to disinfect it? Or should I reach out to Kindra myself?

Mimi Kessler
919-599-2892

On Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 1:54 PM Wendy Bernhardt <wendybernhardt at gmail.com <mailto:wendybernhardt at gmail.com> > wrote:

I contacted CLAWS and received feedback from the executive director below (see indented email exchange starting from the bottom up), which is different from the N.C. Wildlife rep's response (below that). The FB link Kindra is referring to is here: https://www.facebook.com/ClawsNC/posts/10159232861234920. 

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Kindra <mrsclaws at nc-claws.org <mailto:mrsclaws at nc-claws.org> >
Date: Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 10:30 AM
Subject: RE: [Anderson / Wrightwood Neighbors] new disease killing birds, take feeders down?
To: Wendy B <wendybernhardt at gmail.com <mailto:wendybernhardt at gmail.com> >

I posted it to our facebook page, you are more than welcome to send either out

I just ask that people stop attacking me.  I’m not enforcement, I can’t make anybody remove their feeders, all I can do is suggest based on what we are seeing daily

Thank you,

Kindra D. Mammone

Executive Director

CLAWS, Inc.

 <http://www.nc-claws.org/> www.nc-claws.org

 <https://www.facebook.com/ClawsNC/> https://www.facebook.com/ClawsNC/

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand."

From: Wendy B <wendybernhardt at gmail.com <mailto:wendybernhardt at gmail.com> >

Sent: Thursday, July 1, 2021 10:14 AM

To: Kindra <mrsclaws at nc-claws.org <mailto:mrsclaws at nc-claws.org> >

Subject: Re: [Anderson / Wrightwood Neighbors] new disease killing birds, take feeders down?

Thank you for your quick response, Kindra! Would it be okay to send this out to the thousands of people that are on listservs I belong to and elsewhere, e.g., Nextdoor?

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From: Kindra <mrsclaws at nc-claws.org <mailto:mrsclaws at nc-claws.org> >
Date: Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 10:08 AM
Subject: RE: [Anderson / Wrightwood Neighbors] new disease killing birds, take feeders down?
To: Wendy B <wendybernhardt at gmail.com <mailto:wendybernhardt at gmail.com> >

Hello Wendy and thank you for writing.

I’d like to go back to the last bird disease that went around in our area (the one people were convinced was salmonella but was never positively identified as such).  CLAWS initially put out a warning to take down feeders in January, the state and CDC and other government officials did not come out with an official stance until early March.

Rehabbers tend to see these issues long before the state does.  I know I talked to the state just a week prior to their last news release to please stop feeding and was told much the same as you were in this email.  Because they hadn’t yet gotten enough reports whereas by that time, we’d received hundreds of pictures of dead birds, all with the same symptoms.

Having said that, we also get finch eye disease in our area when we get a lot of rain and always suggest cleaning and removing bird feeders for at least a week so as not to spread the disease.

We are currently seeing an uprising in birds with “infected” eyes and neurological symptoms, the same as in other states, so we are trying to warn people.

Sadly, many need to wait to have the state confirm what we are already seeing and many more birds could suffer and die for this reason.

I’m not saying we are the be all end all of decisions.  Many never took their feeders down the last time and somehow the disease seemed to go away (though I’m not sure this isn’t just the second wave of the same disease).  What people choose to do is up to them.

As rehabbers who are seeing this, it is our responsibility to the animals to try to help and warn people.

Removing feeders won’t harm birds, leaving them up with a deadly disease potentially in the area could harm them.  The choice is up to you.

Thank you,

Kindra D. Mammone

Executive Director

CLAWS, Inc.

 <http://www.nc-claws.org/> www.nc-claws.org

 <https://www.facebook.com/ClawsNC/> https://www.facebook.com/ClawsNC/

"Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand."

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 From: Susan 
Date: Thu, Jul 1, 2021 at 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [npna] Bird Feeding Stop Alert/Help birds: Serious new songbird epidemic, US Geological Survey asks for moratorium on feeders/bird baths

To: <npna at groups.io <mailto:npna at groups.io> >

The neighbor of a friend contacted the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to ask about this.  Here’s what they said.

Thank you for your email and for your concern about our native bird populations. I have seen this source (and others) concerning the mystery illness you mention. As of yet, we have not found any cases of this illness in our state. I suspect that when we do, we will surely put out another media alert as we did when the salmonella outbreak occurred earlier this year. At this time, we have not issued any guidance on measures to protect our native birds. Please remain vigilant to any sick or dead birds showing these signs/symptoms and for any media releases we may have in the future on the topic. Thank you again for your concern of our natural wildlife. 

Sean Stanton,

Human-Wildlife Interactions Biologist

NC Wildlife Resources Commission

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From: chander2 <chander2nyc at gmail.com <mailto:chander2nyc at gmail.com> >
Date: Wed, Jun 30, 2021 at 12:04 AM
Subject: Re: [TPD-NC] Bird Feeding Stop Alert/Help birds: Serious new songbird epidemic, US Geological Survey asks for moratorium on feeders/bird baths
To: Debra A Hawkins <dhawkins913311 at gmail.com <mailto:dhawkins913311 at gmail.com> >
Cc: <DukePark at groups.io <mailto:DukePark at groups.io> >, Trinity Park Listserv <trinityparkdurhamnc at groups.io <mailto:trinityparkdurhamnc at groups.io> >, Old West <owdna at googlegroups.com <mailto:owdna at googlegroups.com> >, Old North Durham <main at ondna.groups.io <mailto:main at ondna.groups.io> >, stadium-heights <stadium-heights at googlegroups.com <mailto:stadium-heights at googlegroups.com> >, <walltown-neighbors at googlegroups.com>, <inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net <mailto:inc-list at lists.deltaforce.net> >, Colonial Village Durham <colonial-village-durham at googlegroups.com <mailto:colonial-village-durham at googlegroups.com> >

A. This is an alert that may or may not be completely up to date. (In reviewing the material linked below I saw date going back to May in some on of the info). 

B. Perhaps more importantly, there is no unified call to stop feeding birds that has been communicated through multiple sources (like Audobon society, the EPA, and others). What is being said is, IF you choose to have bird feeders, clean them regularly. Which -spoiler alert - you should be doing anyway. If you wouldn't eat off of dirty dishes, or put pet food in bowl that's only cleaned once every few months, why would you treat a bird feeder any differently?

Please don't simply pass along fear mongering summations that arent accurate. 

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Debra Hawkins <dhawkins913311 at gmail.com <mailto:dhawkins913311 at gmail.com> >
Date: Tue, Jun 29, 2021 at 6:24 PM
Subject: [WHHNA-list] Bird Feeding Stop Alert/Help birds: Serious new songbird epidemic, US Geological Survey asks for moratorium on feeders/bird baths
To: WHHNA-List List <whhna-list at whhna.org <mailto:whhna-list at whhna.org> >

Dear neighbors, a new unknown/poorly understood disease is ravaging bird populations on the Eastern Seaboard, and spreading to many states and inland. USGS has put out a call for backyard birders to take down feeders and birdbaths to help stop/slow transmission until more is understood or solutions/help is possible. Rehab places are being overwhelmed with sick/dying songbirds and cannot save them all. Please read the below information/check out other articles and consider taking your birding aids offline till the professionals/scientists let us know what or when to resume. Sadly, we need to help our avian population socially distance too -- before flocking season starts in the fall. Many thanks to our local wildlife certified rehabbers and CLAWS INC. for the heads up. As always, please feel free to share and distribute as you wish, and please forgive any duplicate postings not seen/simply disregard if not relevant or interested. Thank you. 

“Birds of the mid-Atlantic are disappearing at an alarming rate,  <https://www.usgs.gov/news/interagency-statement-usgs-and-partners-investigating-dc-area-bird-mortality-event?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=facebook&utm_term=0a3f1fb9-caf4-46cb-a52f-e23845585a6c&utm_content=u.s.+geological+survey+%28usgs%29&utm_campaign=biosurveillance-fy21> says the U.S. Geological Survey, which is urging residents to refrain from feeding the animals until more is known about a mysterious disease that causes eye swelling, neurological damage and, ultimately, death.

In a recent joint statement by the USGS on behalf of a number of state agencies throughout Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and DC, they warned that birds that congregate in feeders and baths are likely to transmit the illness, which has not yet been identified by wildlife experts. They ask residents to disinfect and remove such ornaments from their homes until the “mortality event” has ended and more is known about how the disease can be treated or prevented.”

https://nypost.com/2021/06/22/mysterious-disease-is-killing-hundreds-of-birds-in-dc-area/?fbclid=IwAR0S7Ru5w5KkvpZe6nuOOPRwtREGfEshKf8nIikThEIq3Td5kfrsGglOy98

D in NGP

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