Mystery Bird Disease Found In At Least 27 PA Counties

PENNSYLVANIA — Since July 1, experts have been investigating a high volume of public reports of sick or dying songbirds in Pennsylvania and across the eastern U.S. While the cause of the condition remains unknown, officials recommend taking down feeders and bird baths to mitigate spread.

The disease’s most common clinical symptoms include discharge and crusting around the eyes, eye lesions, and neurologic signs such as falling over or head tremors.

RELATED: Stop Feeding Birds, PA Game Commission Advises

An investigation by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Wildlife Futures Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine has not yet resulted in many new findings. But the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources released a list Tuesday of “infectious agents [that] have not been detected in any birds tested.”

The list of ruled-out infectious agents includes Salmonella and Chlamydia (bacterial pathogens); avian influenza virus, West Nile virus and other flaviviruses, Newcastle disease virus and other paramyxoviruses, herpesviruses and poxviruses; and Trichomonas parasites.

PennLive said that Virginia has seen more than 1,400 reports of sick or dying birds, and around 450 reports that referenced neurological and eye damage.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission said July 2 that the disease had been reported in 27 counties across the state. Nineteen reports originated in Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill and York counties, and 15 came from Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties.

The disease has been reported in 11 species in Pennsylvania: blue jay, European starling, common grackle, American robin, northern cardinal, house finch, house sparrow, eastern bluebird, red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina chickadee, and Carolina wren.

While hummingbirds are not on the list, it’s possible that hummingbird feeders where birds congregate could also pose a risk for disease spread.

Martin Hackett, communications director at Penn’s veterinary school, told PennLive that they had seen increased reports of public sightings over the holiday weekend. Pennsylvania residents have been asked to report sightings of symptomatic or dead birds online.

For those hoping to help the birds, the state recommends the following precautionary measures:

• Cease feeding birds and providing water in bird baths until this wildlife mortality event has concluded to prevent potential spread between birds and to other wildlife.
• Clean feeders and bird baths with a 10 percent bleach solution.
• Avoid handling dead or injured wild birds. Wear disposable gloves if it's necessary to handle a bird.
• Keep pets away from sick or dead birds as a standard precaution.
• To dispose of dead birds, place them in a sealable plastic bag and discard with household trash. This will prevent disease transmission to other birds and wildlife.

The disease was first detected in Washington, D.C. in May. To date, other affected states include Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia.