I did notice that when the Cicadas arrived the birds using my 5 feeders decreased significantly. I assumed the birds were busy gorging on Cicadas rather than bird seed. But at this point who knows, perhaps they were actually busy dying? DNR is working with the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (IN ADDL) and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center to determine the birds’ cause of death. In the meantime, I'm followed their suggestion to stop feeding the birds until we know the true cause of death.Yes, I read that yesterday.
Have any of you heard of a speculative link to the 17 year cicadas? I found it interesting.
A mysterious illness that kills songbirds has now hit Indiana. Could cicadas be to blame?
Indiana DNR has asked residents to take down their feeders. And at least one ornithologist wonders if cicadas caused the illness.www.courierpress.com
What's the connection between bird feeders and dying birds?Reports of sick and dying birds now include more than 40 counties. The following species are principally affected: blue jay, American robin, common grackle, starling, northern cardinal, brown-headed cowbird. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommends all Hoosiers remove their birdfeeders statewide until the mortality event has concluded.
No bird feeders will encourage social distancing. If an infected bird is at the feeder, it could infect all birds feeding there during or after it's visit. I'm leaving my feeders up for now, but I do have a table out there with beak masks for them to use.
Same thing with people that feed deer. It encourages groups to come into close contact and makes spreading diseases between them easier.
I agree but the DNR decision to take down bird feeders is speculative. Only time will tell if that action diminishes the ailment.
Time will never tell that, because few people will actually do it for various reasons.