The birds aren’t seagulls, ravens, crows or magpies all of which are common at landfills.
They’re European starlings.
An invasive species, starlings closely resemble blackbirds and often draw the ire of many birders, farmers and others because they can pose a threat to native bird species and crops. Invasive species are living organisms that are not native to an ecosystem and cause harm.
On farms, starlings are most noticeable among the pest birds, said Jenifer Cruikshank, who works for the Oregon State University Extension Service focusing on dairy farms There’s just so many of them, and they’re kind of voracious eaters, she said.
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Eugene bird experts say it s not necessary to remove your bird feeders to prevent spread of salmonella. But a good cleaning will help. KLCC s Rachael McDonald has the story.
Dan Gleason taught Field Ornithology at the University of Oregon for 30 years. He and his wife Barbara own Wild Birds Unlimited in Eugene. Gleason says salmonella infection is not unusual in pine siskins, a type of finch. The illness can spread through bird droppings, and some experts have advised removing feeders. Gleason said it would only be a good idea to remove the feeder if you see sick birds.
“What’s more important, I think, is that you have a very clean, safe feeding situation,”Gleason said. “And that means that when you start to see these kinds of outbreaks, you’ll need to keep your feeders much cleaner, more often than at normal times.”
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This Is Not the Way New Yorkers Normally Greet a Major Snowstorm
Sleds were sold out all over as the city, for once, met an oncoming nor’easter with a measure of delight.
Credit.George Etheredge for The New York Times
Published Dec. 17, 2020Updated Dec. 18, 2020
It’s a New York City nightmare: a midweek nor’easter that dumps almost a foot of snow before the morning commute, snarling traffic, shutting down airports and commuter train lines, slowing subways and forcing parents to somehow work around small children thrilled by a day off from school.
But this is 2020. The snow day began nine months ago. And in the sort of reversal that could only happen in this pandemic era, the city’s heaviest snowstorm in years was, to many, a most welcome change, something new to look at from the windows that New Yorkers have lived behind since March.