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Dear Audubon friends,
We’ve received a number of inquiries about the disease that’s causing neurological problems, conjunctivitis, and death in songbirds in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Indiana, Ohio, and Florida. Thankfully, so far, no cases have been reported in our area of southwestern Pennsylvania.
Out of an abundance of caution and in agreement with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, we advise people to remove their bird feeders (including hummingbird feeders) until we learn more about the cause of the problem.
Because the origin of the illness has not been identified, it’s important to remove situations where birds congregate in order to reduce chance of disease spread. As we learn more about the cause, we will provide updates on next steps and when you may place your feeders back outside.
At this time, we’ve stopped selling bird seed, bird food, and feeders in Audubon Nature Stores. Our goal is to help lessen the spread of the disease—every little bit helps!
Please note: when we’re able to put feeders back out, it’s vitally important to keep them clean. Here’s a quick overview:
- Clean feeders at least weekly to help to keep birds healthy.
- Feeders may be disinfected with a bleach solution (1/2 cup of bleach per gallon of water).
- First, clean your feeder with soap and water.
- Then soak the feeder in the bleach solution for 15-20 minutes.
- Completely rinse and dry the feeder before refilling it.
We will post updates on our website, aswp.org, and on social media.
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