Dying bird behaviour (1 Viewer)

[The gaffer]

I have a feeding station set up in my garden which occasionally seems to attract birds that are dying. Today I discovered a collared dove in the last throws of life, on the ground under the feeding station, and previous to that it was a male greenfinch.|=(|

You can normally tell when it is about to happen as the sick or dying bird tends to hang around for a few days before it dies and does not go far from the feeding station.

In nature we are often told that animals go off somewhere quiet to die but it seems that birds are unique in that they do not go far from a food source. I had thought that perhaps the bird is too sick to fly off in its last few days of life but it could still walk to somewhere more secluded in my garden as there is plenty of cover even a couple of feet away from where it lies now.

I would appreciate any thoughts you may have on this.

Thanks

Brian

 

[KnockerNorton]

I'm afraid that it's highly likely that it is your feeding station that is killing them. There are several diseases that are doing the rounds at the moment, and bird tables/feeders are one of the main sources of infection. These are trichomonas and salmonella, both spreas through droppings and saliva. As the birds feed on your table, they're leaving disease in their droppings or their saliva, and other healthy birds are attracted by the food and being contaminated. The symptons you describe are classic. The birds are dying there because they don't have the energy to go anywhere else.

It is very important that you take down your feeders for at least a month, and disinfect your table/feeders. Also, preferably re-site them in another bit of the garden, as disease may linger in the soil beneath (where birds feed on spilt food).

Finches, sparrows and doves are especially affected by these diseases, and if you continue feeding and attracting birds to an area where diseased birds are feeding, then the death toll could be quite large. There's a lot of it about, so you're not on your own, but you really must stop feeding for a while and disinfect your gear til the diseased birds die off. If you start feeding again after a month and still see disease, stop again.

 

[The gaffer]

Thank you very much for your prompt reply and my feeders will all be taken down tomorrow morning and left down until well into January. I also have a bird bath which I will empty but keeping it empty may be a problem as it it made of heavy stone.

Could I ask if you could recommend a disinfectant to use on the feeders which will be safe after I return them to use? Should I also use the disinfectant in the bird bath? What about food that has already fallen? Should I try and recover it and dispose of it in the bin?

The collared doves always feed on the spilt food from the finches and perhaps I should have realised earlier. Is there anything that you can do on an ongoing basis to prevent these diseases from getting hold? Good housekeeping? Regular disinfection?

It came as a great shock to me to think that in pursuing my life long love of birds I could be killing them by introducing them to disease. I am devastated as it took me a long time to entice the regular birds to come and feed and a month without food will probably mean I have to start all over again. But if that is what is required then so be it!!

Thanks again for the help

Brian

 

[halftwo]

If any consolation this isn't uncommon.
At least you noticed & can disinfect.
I would throw any remains in the feeders away, check on your supplies (damp, mould, etc.) & if necessary chuck out.
Disinfect with any proprietory stuff, then rinse thoroughly, before re-using the equipment.
I'm not sure if the diseases are infectious (anyone?), but a quarantine period might be in order.
It might be an idea to check that the disease doesn't originate with a neighbour (difficult I know!) because the virus could have been carried to your place from elsewhere - in which case no matter how careful you are...
Dispose of any dead birds (incinerate if pos.)
Check the Bird Feeding Threads on BF - there have been posts re same before.
Good Luck,
H

 

[bkrownd]

Bird feeders are unnatural anyhow, and attract junk species. Kind of like humans (and roaches) eating at McDonalds every day. IMO, ditch the feeders and watch wild birds in the wild, doing what wild birds should be doing.

 

[KnockerNorton]

As said, use any propriety stuff from the shops, then rinse thoroughly. I use dilute bleach and scalding water. You could maybe cover the bird bath with a board or fill it with gravel? And dig over the soil beneath? It's handy to have gravel under the feeders, that way you can disinfect it and hose it down without worrying about yellow grass!

To try and keep on top of it, you should disinfect every week or so (bird table and feeders) and keep a sharp eye out for sick birds - fluffed up plumage, weak, lethargic - they're easy to spot. There may well be other feeders in the area that are also helping to spread (both salmonella and trich are very infectious), which you can't do much about. This has been going on for a few years, it's an epidemic. It might come to it where you're just not able to put out food on the table anymore for the winter - it's unfair to attract healthy birds to where sick ones are also coming. It's a death sentence. The good news is that tits don't seem to be affected, so you could maybe limit things to sunflower seed in feeders (not fed loose) over gravel - that way the tits carry the seeds away to eat, and any bits that fall get lost among the gravel. Doves and finches, the main carriers, are less likely to be attracted. The important thing is that if you're seeing sick birds again - stop feeding for a month and disinfect.

 

[lockbreeze926]

Bird feeders are unnatural anyhow, and attract junk species.

Brilliant. Fundamentalist birding.

Well, the "junk species" thank you for your appreciation - maybe they don't fall off branches dying from the cold and starvation so much in Hawaiian winters? But I guess that's "natural", too.

Tell you what, if you get everybody else to stop affecting birds in "unnatural" ways with habitat loss, pollution, etc etc etc, then I'll take the feeders down.

 

[Twite]

Bird feeders are unnatural anyhow, and attract junk species. Kind of like humans (and roaches) eating at McDonalds every day. IMO, ditch the feeders and watch wild birds in the wild, doing what wild birds should be doing.

When was the last time you had a hard winter in Hawaii. :C
Mabey a little consideration for disabled people who enjoy looking out their windows at garden birds and the millions of people who live in cities who don't have easy access to the countryside. Birdfeeders are also a great way to get children interested in birds. This isn't all about people, with properly maintained feeders birds benefit too.

Twite.

 

[The gaffer]

Bird feeders are unnatural anyhow, and attract .

I agree to a certain extent with your view as there is nothing better than to watch birds in their natural environment however I think the comments from Twite and lockbreeze926 make much more sense.:t:

In addition to those comments I do think we need to give the birds some help in an effort to stem the tide of losses due to pollution, loss of nesting sites and habitat erosion.

Whilst I admit to having had a poorly managed feeding station this has now changed and I will ensure it is properly maintained in the future. This has to be a benefit for the bird species that often suffer due to our climate which is much colder than that in Hawaii

Brian

 

[Roger P]

junk species

???

How unfortunate to have this view of our pastime; how much pleasure is being missed.
Perhaps a copy of Simon Barnes's "How to be a Bad Birdwatcher" might help.
Can you get it on prescription?
Roger

 

[devilbirder]

When was the last time you had a hard winter in Hawaii. :C
Mabey a little consideration for disabled people who enjoy looking out their windows at garden birds and the millions of people who live in cities who don't have easy access to the countryside. Birdfeeders are also a great way to get children interested in birds. This isn't all about people, with properly maintained feeders birds benefit too.

Twite.

Brilliant. Fundamentalist birding.

Well, the "junk species" thank you for your appreciation - maybe they don't fall off branches dying from the cold and starvation so much in Hawaiian winters? But I guess that's "natural", too.

Tell you what, if you get everybody else to stop affecting birds in "unnatural" ways with habitat loss, pollution, etc etc etc, then I'll take the feeders down.

Well said.
Perhaps you should start to appreciate common birds more and give something back to them, a helping hand through harsh times. You probably don't know how bad our winters can be on birds.


Anyway, shame about your birds gaffer... hope it all turns out good in the end for you.

 

[Mary]

There is a good sticky thread about hygiene in the garden bird section, Brian, with some links to info on the various diseases there are about.
Are there any other gardens near you with feeders? The origins of the disease may not be apparent, but other gardens may be harbouring it. If you think this likely, maybe a friendly note delivered to other folk in the area would also help the situation?

 

[The gaffer]

There is a good sticky thread about hygiene in the garden bird section, Brian, with some links to info on the various diseases there are about.
Are there any other gardens near you with feeders? The origins of the disease may not be apparent, but other gardens may be harbouring it. If you think this likely, maybe a friendly note delivered to other folk in the area would also help the situation?

Thank you Mary for your advice and I will check the threads in the garden bird section.

I am not aware of any other feeding stations near my garden although I do live on a medium sized estate and there could well be without me knowing. If I come across any I will certainly inform them also about good hygiene. There is a guy who lives 5 houses from mine who used to feed general wild bird seed (the high wheat content feed) and complained about the stench underneath his bird table due to the build up of uneaten/rotten bird food. This guy is about to move house but the birds may still be feeding on the dropped food. I will ask the new owners if they can look into this further.

Thanks again

Brian

 

[bkrownd]

Well, the "junk species" thank you for your appreciation - maybe they don't fall off branches dying from the cold and starvation so much in Hawaiian winters? But I guess that's "natural", too. .

If only our junk species would die faster, there might be more hope for the natives. My criticism stands. Living in Hawaii has in fact been illuminating in many was as to the extent to which "little" things people take for granted like birdfeeders etc harm our wildlife. Where do you get the absurd idea that wild species are going to starve and disappear without your contribution of junk food? Wild birds are perfectly equipped to survive on their own, living a normal birdfeeder-free life, eating their proper natural diet. Yes, if times are hard some of them naturally die, which strengthens them as a whole. Meanwhile you're feeding aggressive alien and human-adapted species and helping them compete against native wild birds. (and spreading disease)

 

[Twite]

Meanwhile you're feeding aggressive alien and human-adapted species and helping them compete against native wild birds. (and spreading disease)

:C

Which particular species are you referring to? In Europe it's not an issue, the birds that come to my feeders are resident species or winter visitors. Anyway shouldn't you be out cutting down some invasive weed or doing something useful, instead of criticising what is an act of kindness, perceived or otherwise.


Twite.

 

[bkrownd]

Which particular species are you referring to? In Europe it's not an issue, the birds that come to my feeders are resident species or winter visitors. Anyway shouldn't you be out cutting down some invasive weed or doing something useful, instead of criticising what is an act of kindness, perceived or otherwise.

What on Earth do you mean 'not an issue'? You're preferentially feeding certain species with an artificial diet, and altering the populations and behaviors of 'wild' creatures. Why would this be less true in Europe than anywhere else? "Kindness" is irrelevant.

 

[turkish van]

What on Earth do you mean 'not an issue'? You're preferentially feeding certain species with an artificial diet, and altering the populations and behaviors of 'wild' creatures. Why would this be less true in Europe than anywhere else? "Kindness" is irrelevant.

Erm, I'd say the bigger issue is the preferential treatment we are giving ourselves, resulting in us destroying the habitat of these 'wild' creatures. Their populations and perhaps behaviours have already been altered, by providing them with food we are helping to lessen the impact.

Unlike you we are not feeding 'junk' species - we are feeding birds, all of which have suffered at the hands of us, and I can't think of any known garden species which are non-native.

It seems you have a preference over certain species, nevermind us.

 

[bkrownd]

by providing them with food we are helping to lessen the impact.

In fact the very opposite is true. Feeding wildlife and pest species in this unnatural way only disturbs the balances and processes of nature even more.

 

[James_Owen]

Makes one wonder what's the best way of looking after our native species 'naturally' in that most unnatural of habitats - the suburban town garden. Let them go shop for their food at lhe local supermarket I suppose, as is nature's way, either that or let them starve and disappear. Anything but supply a food source we've deprived our birds of with our streets and houses.

 

[devilbirder]

OK, I suppose you do have a couple of valid points there however I do not like the first sentence and the references to our common species which are just are no more 'junk' than any other. I shall continue to feed my birds despite your good points. I have yet to be completely convinced.

If only our junk species would die faster, there might be more hope for the natives. My criticism stands. Living in Hawaii has in fact been illuminating in many was as to the extent to which "little" things people take for granted like birdfeeders etc harm our wildlife. Where do you get the absurd idea that wild species are going to starve and disappear without your contribution of junk food? Wild birds are perfectly equipped to survive on their own, living a normal birdfeeder-free life, eating their proper natural diet. Yes, if times are hard some of them naturally die, which strengthens them as a whole. Meanwhile you're feeding aggressive alien and human-adapted species and helping them compete against native wild birds. (and spreading disease)