Have a Bird Feeder or Birdbath in Kentucky? Clean it or Take it Down Immediately

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources asks that if you have a bird feeder or birdbath in the state of Kentucky that you clean it immediately.   Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have been dealing with unexplained bird deaths all over the state.

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They state that in late May they began receiving reports of sick and dying birds. The birds had symptoms like eyes swelling, crusty discharge from the eyes, and neurological problems.  Now in June unexplained bird deaths have become an issue in several Kentucky counties.  They say the species they have the most reports of these issues in are Blue Jays, Common Grackles, and European Starlings.  The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources also says that wildlife biologists in Indiana, Ohio, Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and  West Virginia have all had reports of similar cases.

In a Facebook post to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources page, they ask that if you have a bird feeder or birdbath that you clean it immediately with a 10% bleach solution and continue doing that weekly.  Since reports of these issues have been reported in Indiana as well, it may not be a bad idea to do the same across the river as well.  Here's what their Facebook post said:

UNEXPLAINED BIRD DEATHS - Report your observations of dead or sick birds here: https://www.research.net/r/2021KYSickBirdReports

We are receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. Other states have reported similar cases. No definitive cause of death has been identified at this time. To date, sick or dead Blue Jays, Common Grackles and European starlings have been reported, but other species may be affected as well.

In Kentucky, reports of sick and dying birds have come from Jefferson, Kenton and Boone counties to date; residents of those counties are asked to cease feeding birds until further notice (when this issue has been resolved).

STATEWIDE:

- Bird feeders and baths should be cleaned immediately with a 10 percent bleach solution, then weekly thereafter.

- People should avoid handling birds (wear disposable gloves if handling is necessary).

- Keep pets away from sick or dead birds as a standard precaution.

For more information on how to help protect birds across the state, please visit our website: https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/Bird-Mortality-Event.aspx