ODFW urges: Keep those feeders clean, to avoid sickening birds
Kathy Munsel, ODFW
Noted for its familiar call, chick-a-dee-dee-dee, the Black-capped Chickadee is widely heralded as one of Oregon's friendliest and cheeriest residents.
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and wildlife rehabilitators are seeing an increase in reports of sick birds at feeders.
Calls to ODFW from Oregon bird lovers seeing dead birds in their yard and around their feeder typically increase with colder weather.
When the weather turns cold, the energy demands on birds and other wildlife increase dramatically so a high energy seed meal at a bird feeder will bring in birds and congregate them, increasing the chance of disease transmission.