Why You Need to Remove Bird Feeders and Baths Right Now
The idyllic start of any spring morning is waking up to the shining sun and the chirping of birds. Unfortunately, this year you may have to compromise on the latter. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that as of April 19, 28.5 million cases of avian influenza have been detected in waterfowl, game birds and home gardens in at least 29 states. Because of this, public health officials in many states are asking people to remove their bird feeders and baths to do their part to stop the spread.
Dr. Victoria Hall of the University of Minnesota Predator Center explains that “this action will not only help protect those beautiful feathered creatures that visit your yard, but will also help all kinds of wild birds that are already having a hard time this spring. due to [highly pathogenic avian influenza].”
This is not the first US encounter with bird flu. From 2014 to 2015, about 51 million birds were depopulated to control the spread of the disease. This outbreak cost the poultry and egg industry an estimated $3 billion and led Congress to allocate $1 billion in 2017 to fight future avian flu epidemics.
If you’re wondering what else you can do to help besides dismantling bird feeders and birdbaths, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources recommends the following :
- Clean and rinse bird feeders and baths with a dilute bleach solution (nine parts water to one part bleach) and clean or clean weekly if they cannot be moved away from the birds.
- Remove bird seeds at the base of feeders to prevent large gatherings of birds or other wildlife.
- Avoid feeding wild birds in close proximity to domestic flocks.
So, how long do you have to wait before they can put the bird feeders back on? There is no exact answer yet, but experts are optimistic.
“It is in our power to take short-term measures so as not to inadvertently contribute to the spread of the virus,” Hall writes . “This outbreak won’t last forever, and I, for one, am looking forward to being able to hang my bird feeders safely.”
So while it may be quiet in the backyard this summer, there is light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, consider this as an opportunity to finally visit that local bird sanctuary you’ve always been talking about visiting.