Salmonella in West Coast Birds

Hundreds of birds have died in British Columbia and Washington—Salmonella bacteria are spreading at birdfeeders and other common food sources.

Every few years an outbreak of salmonella enteritis strikes bird populations. It’s happening now, in the spring of 2007, on the west coast of North America. Birds are dying by the hundreds in British Columbia, Canada, and in Washington State, USA.

Salmonellosis usually strikes when birds are stressed, and the current outbreak may be due to a cold wet spring—it’s thought that the bacteria is spreading quickly due to contamination of birdfeeders where many birds come for food. Anyone who feeds birds in the affected areas is being asked to take down their birdfeeders until the outbreak is over, or to disinfect feeders daily to avoid spreading the disease to more birds.

In the summer months, there is usually plenty of food available in the environment and birds don’t really need to rely on birdfeeders. When the birds disperse to look for food elsewhere, those already infected will be less likely to pass on the bacteria to other birds.

Read about salmonellosis in birds and how to avoid spreading it with a contaminated feeder:

Salmonella Infectionin Birds

Sources:

Lavoie, Judith. “There's deadly bacteria lurking in your bird feeder.” Vancouver Sun,Sunday, June 03, 2007

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. “Bird feeding precautions urged to stem bird disease.”