From avid bird watchers to casual onlookers, bird feeders are a staple in many yards across Illinois and throughout the country. While these well-meaning people may simply be offering their wild, feathered friends an easy meal, these feeders can spread illness like a preschool classroom full of kids in the thick of cold and flu season. Yuck!
Mycoplasmal Conjuctivitis in Wild Birds
Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis is an ocular disease seen mostly in finch species but has also been reported in other songbird species such as but not limited to sparrows, grosbeaks, and blue jays. While this disease is thought to have originated as a respiratory illness in domestic bird species (e.g., chickens and turkeys), in wild birds it manifests in a comparable way to what we may think of as “pink eye” in humans. This includes red, swollen eyelids and conjunctiva, along with watery ocular and/or nasal discharge. Oftentimes, this can impact a bird’s ability to visualize and find food, leaving them prone to starvation and predation.
The most common route of transmission of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis is thought to occur at bird feeders, where many birds come into close contact with one another. This is especially exacerbated in late fall and winter, when food is scarcer and it becomes more convenient for birds to visit bird feeders rather than forage for food. When hundreds of birds are gathering at one small bird feeder in a single day, it is easy for disease causing pathogens to jump from bird to bird and cause illness in a sizable portion of the population.
Ways to keep birds safe at your feeder
So, what can you do to stop the spread of mycoplasmal conjunctivitis and other diseases in your backyard? The simplest answer is to stop promoting large gatherings of birds within a small space by tossing that bird feeder in the trash. However, if you prefer to keep a bird feeder in your yard, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure local wild bird populations remain healthy and continue to thrive. Those items are as follows:
- Regularly clean your bird feeder with 10% bleach to kill any pathogens.
- Avoid tube feeders, as they are hard to clean and possess too many surfaces for birds to touch and spread disease through.
- Use a platform feeder with ample space to allow birds to feed and to prevent overcrowding.
- Avoid using moldy feed and continue to clean up the ground below the feeder.
- Only put out the amount of food birds can consume within a few days, and throw out leftovers when cleaning and refilling the feeder.
If you find a bird that is infected with mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator right away. Sanitize and put away any bird feeders for at least two weeks to help stop the spread of this disease.
Sources:
- https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/disease/mycoplasmal-conjunctivitis#collapse27
- https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/wildlife-health/wildlife-diseases/mycoplasmosis.html
- https://extension.psu.edu/house-finch-conjunctivitis
Written by Allison, Class of 2027
