Diseased Feeder Birds

The USGS has put out a press release about the recent rash of blind/ill feeder-visiting birds in the Eastern US displaying swollen crusty eyes and neurological symptoms. So far, there have been no reported cases of dead or ill feeder-visiting birds with these symptoms in Texas, but we want folks to be on the lookout and report any sightings to this project. Please describe any visible symptoms or atypical behavior and note the number of affected individuals of the species in the "Number of Individuals" field.

As a precaution, we are recommending anyone with feeders disinfect their feeders and birdbaths daily with 10% bleach solution as a preventative measure. If you start to see sick birds, the best course of action is to pull your feeders down to discourage sick birds from congregating. Avoid handling sick birds, but if you need to dispose of dead birds, handle and dispose of them as you would pet waste (pick up with inverted plastic bag, tie off, and dispose of in the trash). less ↑