Birds are dying in the United States and no one knows why

[Klaralven]

While humans and other animals continue to grapple with COVID-19, a new epidemic seems to have hit multiple bird species in North America.

Across the United States, people have been finding dead birds. The birds appear to have been hit by a wave of mysterious illnesses since April.

Ornithologists (bird experts) say the dead or ailing aviators tend to have swollen eyes as well as neurological issues that seem to be causing the birds to lose balance.

"It’s not unusual to see birds with eye problems," says Jim Monsma, director and founder of the animal rescue center City Wildlife in Washington, D.C.

...

There is some hope for the winged creatures ― the amount of sick birds reported to City Wildlife has gone down over the past two weeks. To eliminate the spread of the disease among various species, Monsma says City Wildlife has informed D.C., Maryland and Virginia to take precautions and take down bird feeders or bird baths. Some residents have already gotten rid of their feeders, while others have taken another route and attached bird skeletons to them to ward off birds that regularly come to visit.

The United States Geological Survey advises to cease feeding birds until the epidemic is over. If feeders and bird baths are kept, they are to be cleaned with a 10% bleach solution. Pets are to be kept away from sick or dead birds.

https://www.dw.com/en/birds-are-dying-in-the-united-states-and-no-one-knows-why/a-58163063

[Botany]

1. How we should be feeding birds .... plant native plants and let the birds eat the critters from ....

.... those plants.

[csziggy]

16. Yes, that is what I have been doing

I haven't put feeders out since fall of 2017 - not because I didn't want to feed them but because I physically could not handle putting them out every morning and in at night to keep the deer and raccoons from scarfing all the food every night

While the area around the house did not have great vegetation until this year our farm has sixty acres of great habitat. We do have water sources for the birds and we have plenty of birds. We may not get some of the seed eater birds that we used to see at the feeders but I have a plan - next year I will plant sunflowers and some grains in our south field - that is about half an acre so there should be lots of area for the birds to eat. Of course, the deer may also eat them, but as long as they don't graze them all down, that is OK.

This spring we planted mostly native plants that attract birds, bees, and butterflies and there are LOTS of each. We also put in plats that provide food and shelter for caterpillars and life cycles for other insects.

The other part is that we do not use chemicals on our plants. I pay some people to pull weeds and mulch. We put slow release organic fertilizer only at the base of the plants we want. We get the lawn mowed about every three weeks - centipede grass doesn't even like fertilizer so we don't treat it at all. That is working just fine for controlling plants we don't want. No need to poison our environment.

[lagomorph777]

2. I think this is how West Nile Virus first appeared.

This may be more than a sad bird story.

[Botany]

4. what we can do

?r=5f583671e9d7e

[dawg day]

3. Bird feeders with skeletons?

That's kind of Goth.

[2naSalit]

5. I have noticed an inordinate number of dead birds...

In my area. Plus, there seems to be a lack of some notable birds. like eagles. There are lot fewer of them this year, lots of gulls, fewer warblers. I've seen a bunch of dead birds of many kinds on the pavement and earlier this spring, while shrooming, my friend and I found two dead bald eagles along the river about three miles from each other. They had been scavenged so it was impossible to tell how they died. All birds are like the canary in a coal mine, so...

[PatSeg]

6. That is really disturbing

What state are you in? I am in New Hampshire, but haven't noticed any dead birds.

[2naSalit]

17. Montana.

[PatSeg]

18. Has it been unusually hot

there this summer? I'm wondering if some of the deaths might be heat related.

[2naSalit]

19. I'm leaning toward that idea.

Last edited Thu Jul 8, 2021, 10:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I have seen many live birds exhausted standing in the sun because they don't have the energy to get to the nearest shade. They look delirious, their wings in a "caping" posture trying to cool their bodies and panting.

It has been horribly hot for about a month now, high 90s and into the 100s some days, no clouds. Although, I haven't been out much the past couple days since I now have AC, we have had a late afternoon thunderstorm the last three days. And it does cool down at night. Many of our birds are migratory but they probably need a cool season and so they come here.

[PatSeg]

20. Oh, that is so sad

You paint a heartbreaking picture.

[2naSalit]

21. It's creepy scary.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Rachel Carson warned us.

First, the honeybees.
Next, the birds.

[Native]

8. +1

[Bo Zarts]

10. "Silent Spring" was published in September 1962.

It was required reading in my parents' house.

[Corgigal]

9. Kentucky

is really worried over this. We received an email from them just last week, warning us not to touch any dead birds and to call them at a certain number.

[MFM008]

11. Crushingly sad

[JesterCS]

12. This is how "The Core" starts

Great movie even though a silly idea I think,. Never know though, lol.

I feel sorry for the birds. I hit one in my car earlier today and must have just stunned it, when I came back by about half hour later it was gone.

I love animals, so even just hitting a bird makes me feel guilty/sad

[AngryOldDem]

14. A few weeks back, I saw this.

One early morning, I was driving down a street alongside a canal that has a ton of geese and ducks that cross the road all the time. (I’ve seen ducks just park themselves in the middle of the street, and sit.)

A flock of about six geese was almost across when some asshole in the oncoming lane sped up and drove right into them. One got caught in the undercarriage and I thought it had been killed (I saw this in my rearview — I was alongside the driver in the opposite lane when they were hit), but its wing was badly broken and maybe one of its legs. The others appeared to be okay.

The car behind me stopped; of course, the other driver didn’t. I was too far down the road at that point. There is a vet’s office on that street that’s open early, and I hope the driver who stopped managed to take the goose there to be euthanized rather than leaving it in the gutter.

I know some people see geese as nuisances, but damn! They’re living creatures! I was shaken up. They were just about across — the driver could have stopped for maybe all of five seconds. The callousness, cruelty, and inhumanity were truly breathtaking.

[AngryOldDem]

13. I heard an interesting theory...

Given that this is coincidental with the cicadas, some think it’s due to all the chemicals and presticides that have seeped underground over 17 years. Birds then eat the cicadas, get sick, and die. The neurological symptoms seem to support this, but wouldn’t the cicadas have died off as well, or can they develop resistance?

Nevertheless, this is just heartbreaking. The Earth seems to be dying a slow death.

[Leith]

15. Here's a possible explanation

The video is 7 minutes long and SciShow is one of my all time favorites on YouTube.