Feed The Birds
By Jane Whitmore - | May 6, 2021
As our winged friends continue to migrate to their summer homes, we all want them to stop at our feeders. Some will stay for a day and others will stay for the summer.
There are some rules you need to follow if you are feeding the birds.
Bruce Ehresman, Retired DNR Bird Ecologist and Anna Buckardt Thomas, Current DNR Bird Ecologist, tell us to be extra vigilant about keep our bird feeders clean.
“Each year in Iowa, especially during late winter, our office receives reports of sick or dead birds at feeder locations, particularly in the southern part of the state. Aspergillosis, a disease caused by a fungus which often grows in contaminated feed or litter, is one of the main causes of sick and/or dying birds at feeders. When the temperature warms, fungus quickly grows. Birds feeding on contaminated grain often become sick and die.”