Be on the Alert for Sick Songbirds

As many of you have heard, there have been recent reports of sick and dying songbirds. The affected birds have crusty eyes and neurological symptoms that may include seizures, difficulty standing, and head shaking. In late May 2021, bird mortalities were reported in the Washington D.C. area, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. In June, there were additional reports from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. In Pennsylvania, most of the cases have occurred in the SE region of the state. We are tracking this emerging issue and will provide updates as new information becomes available.

Species affected

The primary species reported are blue jays, common grackles, American robins, northern cardinals, and European starlings. Many of the reports are of young birds that have recently left the nest, but adults are also affected. In Pennsylvania there have been 70 reports of birds showing the described neurological symptoms and crusty eyes.  Birds affected are not restricted to a specific family or group of birds. The affected group includes 12 species from 10 different bird families.

Cause of the illness

At this time, we know more about what is not causing these symptoms and deaths than what is causing them. A number of diagnostic labs across the country are working on unraveling this mystery. In Pennsylvania, the Wildlife Futures Program at Penn Vet is working in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to test birds for different pathogens and toxins. At a national level, the USGS Wildlife Health Lab tracks results from across the country and reports the following pathogens have not been detected in any birds tested to date: Salmonella and Chlamydia (bacterial pathogens); avian influenza virus, West Nile virus, and other flaviviruses, Newcastle disease virus and other paramyxoviruses, herpesviruses and poxviruses; and Trichomonas parasites. Toxicology tests are ongoing. 

One speculated cause circulating in the popular media is that the illness is related indirectly to the emergence of brood X periodical cicadas because of the temporal and geographic correlation between the emergence and bird deaths. At this time, this is all speculation, and we need to wait for results from the diagnostic labs before we can fully understand the issue.

What you can do

The Pennsylvania Game Commission recommends that you:

• Report any birds that you find dead from apparent illness using the  Bird Mortality Report Form. 
• Take bird-feeders down to increase "social distancing" in birds in order to reduce the potential risk of disease spread.
• Wash feeders and bird baths and soak them in a 10% bleach solution before putting back out after this problem is over.
• Wear disposable gloves to collect any dead birds, and place them in plastic bags for disposal in trash.
• Keep pets away from sick or dead birds
• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling birds or feeders.

Other ways to help birds

Birds rely on natural habitats such as forests, fields, wetlands, and woodland edges. Backyards, community parks, and other open space can provide critical habitat, especially in urban and suburban areas. One of the most important actions you can take is to retain and enhance native plant communities, reduce amounts of lawn and hardscape, and minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides. Natural areas dispersed across the Commonwealth are needed to support and retain healthy bird communities. Healthy bird communities are better able to withstand other stressors.  We can all make a difference. For additional information see Landscaping for Wildlifeas well as related extension publications.