Disease Archives - Nature Blog

Songbird Diseases & Bird Feeders: What To Look For

VINS — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 17:18:00 +0000

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/analysis-do-bird-feeders-help-or-hurt-birds/

by Bren Lundborg, Wildlife Keeper

Bird feeding is a popular and enjoyable winter pastime for many people, bringing birds in close for easy viewing. While it is widely practiced and can even help biologists monitor populations through programs such as Project FeederWatch (https://feederwatch.org/), there are some potential negative side effects of feeding birds. However, these can be minimized by good feeder cleaning practices and keeping a close eye on the birds at your feeders.

The Importance of Cleaning

There are four avian diseases that tend to be common at bird feeders: Salmonellosis, Avian Pox, Finch Eye Disease, and Trichomoniasis. All can be transmitted by direct contact or by contaminated food or feeders. A major reason these diseases may be more prevalent at feeders is that the close contact between birds gathered at feeders makes transmission easier. If you do see a sick bird, you should remove all food and clean your feeders with a 10% bleach solution. You should also keep your feeders down for at least a week to allow the birds to disperse; remember, birds do not need feeders to survive the winter, so leaving contaminated feeders up actually lessens their chances of surviving. It is also good practice to clean all feeders at least once a week even if you don’t see any sick birds.

What To Look For

The four diseases mentioned above have varying symptoms, but there are some things to keep in mind that may be general indicators of sick birds:

A ruffled, fluffed out, lethargic appearance. This is especially true if a bird is in an exposed location and tucking its head under its wing: all songbirds are prey species and unless they are in a protected roost where you probably won’t see them, they should look alert and aware of their surroundings.
Allowing people to approach. While some birds such as chickadees may learn to fly down and eat from people’s hands, most wild birds are not nearly this comfortable around people and in normal circumstances will not allow people to approach closely. If a bird is on the ground and allows you to walk right up to it or touch it, then it is probably sick or injured.
Obvious signs of disease. Symptoms such as red swollen eyes, discharge around the eyes or beak, or blood on the body are likely indicators of sickness or injury, in which case a bird probably needs help.

If you do see a sick bird at your feeders, call your local avian rehabilitator or a veterinarian for advice–Do not try to care for it yourself! It is illegal to care for wildlife without a license, and some diseases could potentially be transmitted to people or pets. Additionally, many of these diseases require lab work to diagnose and treat correctly. If it is ill enough that you can walk right up to it, you can gently pick it up with latex gloves or a towel and place it in a box in a warm, dark, quiet place until you can get it to a rehabilitator. It is best to wash your hands after handling a sick bird and avoid bothering it as much as possible, as stress will make illness and injuries worse. If you are unsure whether you should handle a bird, call a rehabilitator or veterinarian first to get advice.

Common Feeder Diseases

Salmonellosis in a songbird. (Lafeber)

Salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is a disease caused by the Salmonella bacteria, of which there are many species and strains that can cause none to severe illness. It is more common among flocking species such as Goldfinches, Redpolls and Pine Siskins, but any bird can be affected. One study in Norway found that over 60% of dead songbirds found at feeders had died of systemic Salmonella infections. Birds affected by Salmonella may not have obvious signs, but symptoms such as lethargy, a thin or fluffed out appearance, and red swollen eyelids may be seen. Salmonella is mainly transmitted by fecal contamination of food, but it can also be transmitted from direct contact between birds. Salmonella can also be transmitted to people, so wearing gloves and washing hands is strongly recommended for anyone handling a bird with these symptoms.

Avian Pox. Avian pox is caused by several strains of pox virus (unrelated to chickenpox that affects humans) and affects a wide number of species. Most commonly, wart-like growths can be seen on unfeathered parts of the body such as the legs and around the beak and eyes, although it can appear on wings and other areas as well. There is also a more severe form of infection that can affect the oral cavity and respiratory system, causing breathing difficulty and trouble feeding. Although pox infections are often not lethal on their own, difficulty seeing or eating caused by the lesions can lead to death. Pox viruses are transmitted by direct contact or by contact with contaminated food or objects, as well as mosquitoes in the summertime.

House Finch with Finch Eye Disease (Cornell)

House Finch Eye Disease. Originally a disease of domestic poultry, Finch Eye Disease, or Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, jumped to House Finches back in the 1990’s. It is caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma gallisepticum. While it is most common in House Finches, it affects other species such as Purple Finches, Goldfinches, and several related grosbeak species. Though it has been shown that other species such as Chickadees and Titmice have been exposed to it, so far it does not seem to cause disease in them. Birds affected by Mycoplasma often have red, swollen and crusty or runny eyes. This leads to difficulty finding food and makes them easy targets for predators. Mycoplasma is also spread by direct contact or contaminated objects. For more information on the history of House Finch Eye disease and the role that citizen science can play in monitoring diseases and wildlife health, read this article: https://feederwatch.org/learn/house-finch-eye-disease/.

Trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis is caused by a single celled parasite Trichomonas gallinae which mainly infects the upper gastrointestinal tract of birds, causing white plaques that can obstruct the throat and trachea. It is very common in doves and pigeons, with many adults carrying the parasite asymptomatically. However, when it is transmitted to other birds via contaminated food or water it can cause more severe disease. Raptors such as Cooper’s Hawks are also often affected after preying upon doves and pigeons; this is more common in urban environments. Birds with trichomoniasis may not have obvious external signs, but are often weak and lethargic from malnutrition. They will sometimes have some discharge around the beak or nares in severe infections. Trichomonas often do not survive long outside the host, but can survive for up to 5 days in moist grain, and up to several hours in water.

More information about these and other avian diseases can be found here: https://www.northeastwildlife.org/disease-fact-sheets. You can also call the VINS Rehabilitation hotline at 802-359-5001 x 212, for information about these diseases or any other questions you have about potentially sick or injured birds.

The post Songbird Diseases & Bird Feeders: What To Look For appeared first on Nature Blog.

What is a Flat Fly? Curiosity and Research at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation

VINS — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 21:31:00 +0000

By Anna Morris

Lead Environmental Educator

A flat fly (Christian Hugues)

The birds that arrive for care at VINS’s Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation have had a rough time out in the wild. Not only may they be injured from car accidents, window strikes, or cat bites, but they often have acquired parasites. Some of the parasites are internal, in the blood or intestines, but some live on the skin, under feathers, sucking blood from their host and staying hidden from predators.

One such curious hitchhiker on wild birds is known as the “flat fly”. Insects of the family Hippoboscidae parasitize birds and mammals, and shuffle sideways across their hosts, ducking under feathers to hide, but not much is known about them. Our rehabilitators find them an annoyance, but will always grab a plastic tube after one is spotted, and dunk the fly in alcohol, labeling the tube and storing it for later. We save them for Alan Graham, the former Vermont state entomologist, who aims to find out more about these little-known invertebrates.

Alan Graham (Seven Days VT)

In addition to his role as state entomologist, Graham has worked for the Stroud Water Research Center and for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture studying tick- and mosquito-borne diseases. He has many years of experience looking closely at parasitic insects and their populations, and VINS provides specimens for his continuing study.

But why the flat fly? I asked Graham what drew him to these little insects. “Curiosity,” was his answer. “Few people know what they are,” or even where they are. Vermont is an under-collected region for flat flies, and Graham argues that even with the good job our state does in protecting land, we should also know about what we’re protecting. Ever since he first collected a flat fly from a pigeon in graduate school, Graham has sought to answer fundamental questions about their life history.

Feather lice parasitizing a flat fly. (Alan Graham)

So what is known? Though some flat flies live on deer and other mammals, a great diversity live on birds. Flat flies that secure a good host will then snip off their own wings, which prevents them from flying again. They can travel long distances under the feathers of a bird’s wing, and survive the freezing temperatures of a New England winter next to their warm skin. A flat fly female lays only one egg, and it hatches mature, skipping through the larval stage common to many other flies. (Several veterinarians in the area also collect botfly larvae for Graham to document).

But what is their phenology like–when do they mate? What time of year are they most abundant? Do they cause significant harm to their hosts, or like many parasites, are generally benign? Can they transmit diseases between hosts (Fascinatingly, there are none that Graham knows of—flat flies seem incapable of transmitting West Nile Virus, for example). Fueled by pure curiosity Graham has already collected many observations that will help him pursue the answers to these questions. VINS is glad to provide this help!

The post What is a Flat Fly? Curiosity and Research at the Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation appeared first on Nature Blog.

Help Birds on Their Migratory Journey

VINS — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 17:37:00 +0000

by Anna Autilio

Lead, Environmental Educator

In 2018, we mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, nature lovers around the world are joining forces to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.” September’s call to action is to help birds along on their migratory journey, discovering small ways changing our habits can make a big difference for birds…

Each year around this time, our Broad-winged Hawk ambassador, Northfield, gets fidgety. Soon the other birds begin to catch it—Bridport the Rough-legged Hawk, too, seemingly develops ants in her famous rough-legged “pants”. They are experiencing a feeling that English doesn’t have a word for, but German ornithologists termed zugunruhe, or “migratory restlessness”.

Migration is a phenomenon that was long poorly understood. Migration is defined as the seasonal, directed movements of organisms back and forth between where they raise their young, and where they spend the winter. Many species of animals migrate, and the reasons they undertake these arduous, sometimes multiple 1,000-mile journeys are varied. Seeking warmer temperatures, more plentiful food, reduced disease exposure and competition, migratory birds rely on multiple habitats spread across a wide geographic range in order to survive to breed every year.

A new field within conservation biology studies “migratory connectivity” looking at the demands of a single migratory species for these diverse habitats, and aims to bring communities and countries together under the common cause of protecting land for birds. As an example, although birds of prey are protected by law in the United States, they are often not in the countries they inhabit in the winter months, in Central and South America.

How can we here in Vermont help birds on their journey? Here are a few easy actions we can all take to ensure the safety of these creatures while they pass through our woods:

1. Opt for shade-grown coffee and chocolate. This action supports the cultivation of habitats that are safe for birds in Central and South America, and encourages others to adopt sustainable farming practices.

2. Avoid using chemicals outdoors. Pesticides and rodenticides are leading killers of many migratory birds, an accidental side effect of our efforts. Try snap-traps instead, or biodegradable solutions.

3. Turn off the lights at night. Some migrating birds navigate using starlight, and can become disoriented and thrown off course by artificial lights.

4. Keep cats indoors. Domestic cats kill over 3 billion birds per year. It is safer for birds, and safer for cats, to be kept indoors where they don’t run the risk of catching disease, or becoming injured.

5. Prevent window collisions. The second leading cause of bird deaths year-round is collisions with windows or buildings. You can make windows easier to see and avoid by sticking up UV-reflective decals (available at the VINS Nature Store!) or hanging soft screens over the glass.

6. Plant native grasses, flowers, shrubs, and trees. In this way you will be providing food and shelter for migratory birds that stop by your yard.

7. Keep bird feeders and bird baths clean. Don’t simply refill them—take them in for a good scrub whenever they get empty. This will prevent the spread of diseases between bird populations that cycle through your yard.

Let us know what actions you are taking to help birds this fall!

The post Help Birds on Their Migratory Journey appeared first on Nature Blog.

Got Bats?

jbird24 — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:09:00 +0000

By Alyssa Bennett
VT Fish and Wildlife Technician

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) needs help locating summer “house bat” colonies around the state. Vermont’s little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) commonly live in buildings such as attics, barns, and sheds from mid-April to October.

Vermont’s hibernating bat populations have been devastated by White-nose Syndrome (WNS), a disease caused by the cold-loving fungus Geomyces destructans. In just a few short years, WNS has left the once common little brown bat nearly extinct. Now listed as endangered in Vermont, little brown bats can eat half their weight in insects each night and are a vital part of our ecosystem.

You can help by document “house bat” colonies by filling out VFWD’s online reporting form, or by calling state wildlife technician Alyssa Bennett at (802) 786-0098.

You can learn even more about bats by volunteering as a bat counter. Bats routinely emerge at dusk on warm, clear summer nights making them easy to count once you find their exit. Enjoy this summer pastime with family and friends, while gathering valuable scientific data. Find all the information on the web here or contact Bennett at (802) 786-0098.

Monitoring summer activity around the state will help us make informed decisions regarding the conservation and recovery of Vermont’s bats. Learn more about bats and WNS.

Above images provided by Vermont Fish and Wildlife.

The post Got Bats? appeared first on Nature Blog.

Freedom

jbird24 — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:48:00 +0000

This American goldfinch is the latest patient to receive terrific care at VINS and return back to the wild a healthy bird.

Watch a video of this finch’s release!

You may remember this bird came in several weeks ago with conjunctivitis (pink eye). Read her backstory here. She’s all healed up now, and took a sweet flight back into the wild on an exceptionally warm February day.

Good luck, little gal!

The post Freedom appeared first on Nature Blog.

Not so pretty in pink

jbird24 — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:55:00 +0000

This American goldfinch has found herself with bad case of conjunctivitis, or pink eye. A woman brought the bird to VINS last week after observing her on the ground below a feeder, sitting there for hours.

When we examined the bird, we found the tissue around her left eye red and puffy with a little bit of crusty gunk. The eye was so puffy, in fact, it was nearly swollen shut. Her right eye was only slightly inflamed. We treated the finch with a round of antibiotics and have been flushing her eyes daily. Both eyes are clearing and the swelling is going down, but we’re unsure about her vision in the left eye, so her rehabilitation is not quite over yet. We’ll continue to flush her eyes and monitor the healing progress.

Like the human form of pink eye, avian conjunctivitis is contagious, so we have to keep this bird separated from our other patients, sterilize any syringes we use to medicate her, and be diligent about washing our hands immediately after handling her. But we don’t mind giving this little gal some extra TLC: we think she’s worth it!

The post Not so pretty in pink appeared first on Nature Blog.

My, what a long beak you have.

jbird24 — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Woodpeckers need strong, long beaks to jackhammer their way into trees and get to the insects and sweet sap below the bark. But this downy woodpecker spotted in Hartland, VT? His long beak is grossly oversized.

Throughout the United States, biologists are finding birds sporting extra-long beaks. Known as avian keratin disorder, this deformity occurs in numerous species of birds (and especially black-capped chickadees and northwestern crows) when the keratin layer of the beak becomes overgrown. Keratin is protein, and in humans, it’s what makes up our skin, hair, and nails.

While the cause of avian keratin disorder has yet to be nailed down, some scientists believe the deformity may be caused by pollutants in the environment such as organochlorines, which are found in some pesticides. They are also looking at nutritional deficiencies and disease as possible causes. Studies on these deformities — which may also include crossed beaks, overgrown talons, enlarged leg scales, and feather discoloration — show that baby and juvenile birds are spared, suggesting it’s likely not a genetic disorder. But much research remains to be done to target the cause.

As you can imagine, deformed beaks can make feeding and drinking difficult for birds, and some birds will die of starvation as they are unable to properly eat. The woman who observed this woodpecker several times in her yard said the bird appears to have adapted. He is able to eat suet, drink from her bird bath by laying on his side, and has eaten seed. She has even seen him attempt to drill into trees.

If you observe birds with deformed beaks or talons, report them to your local Fish and Wildlife office. You can email photos to Meghan at VINS at moliver@vinsweb.org.

Read more about beak deformities and see more photos here.

The post My, what a long beak you have. appeared first on Nature Blog.