Hundreds of Songbirds Across US Are Dying Due to Mysterious Illness natureworldnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from natureworldnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Songbirds are mysteriously dying across the eastern U.S. Scientists are scrambling to find out why
Jul. 6, 2021 , 5:00 PM
Jennifer Toussaint, chief of animal control in Arlington, Virginia, can’t forget the four baby blue jays. In late May, worried residents had delivered the fledglings to her clinic just outside of Washington, D.C., within just a few hours. Each was plump, indicating “their parents had done a great job caring for them,” Toussaint says. But the birds were lethargic, unable to keep their balance, and blinded by crusty, oozing patches that had grown over their eyes.
Toussaint and her staff soon reached a gloomy diagnosis: the jays were the latest victims of a mysterious deadly disease that had emerged in their area just a few weeks earlier and had already killed countless wild birds. There was no known treatment, so they euthanized the jays. “It was difficult to feel so helpless,” Toussaint recalls.
WILDLIFE: Bizarre bird illness stumps officials, spreads west eenews.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eenews.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
DNR and partners investigating songbird mortalities Sunday, June 27, 2021 4:00 AM Indiana DNR has received reports of sick and dying songbirds from five counties. DNR is working with the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (IN ADDL) and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center to determine the birds’ cause of death.
The five counties are Monroe, Clark, Jefferson, LaGrange, and Lake.
The affected songbirds showed neurological signs of illness as well as eye swelling and crusty discharge.
“Several species are being affected,” said Allisyn-Marie Gillet, DNR ornithologist, “including blue jay, American robin, common grackle, Northern cardinal, European starling, and a few others.
Several samples have been sent to IN ADDL. Gillet said that all bird samples submitted have tested negative for avian influenza and West Nile virus. Final laboratory diagnostic results are pending.
Today
Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..
Tonight
Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low near 70F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. Updated: June 30, 2021 @ 6:15 pm