Social Distancing Is For the Birds

Earlier this year, I witnessed the periodical cicada explosion throughout the eastern US, and thought to myself, "It's a good time to be a bird."

Maybe not so much, after all.

A mysterious disease is ripping through songbird populations in the region, presenting itself in the form of crusty, swollen eyes with weeping discharge.  The disease, which has been observed in a number of species, has yet to be identified, and as such scientists aren't quite sure what's responsible for it.  As usual, there are lots of theories, many of them uninformed, bandying around, but hopeful the mystery will be solved soon.

In the meantime, if you live in a region in which similar symptoms are being observed, there is something that you can do to help, though it may seem counterintuitive - take down your birdfeeder.  Clean it thoroughly with some bleach, then pack it away for a while.  This time of year, there is plentiful food for birds elsewhere, but like us, birds are lazy and will go for the easy-to-find, always-reliable birdfeeders first - and there, they can congregate in large numbers.  Just like coronavirus, this disease is easily transmissible in these close-quarters, hastening its spread.  By not encouraging birds to congregate in dense crowds, we can slow the spread of this disease.

Mysterious Bird Illness Prompts Bird Feeder Warning From Officials

It's an idea that's getting some pushback from people who love birds (or at least people who believe that they do).  Songbirds have such a tough time these days, what with window collisions and pesticides and stalking outdoor cats.  It's tempting to want to do whatever we can to give them a leg up (wing up?).  Sometimes, though, the kindest gesture can have negative consequences, and in these cases we have to do what's best for the birds, not what makes us feel better about ourselves.

Photo Credit: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources