Mysterious Avian Disease is Killing Hundreds of Birds All Over the US

A strange sickness is killing birds in numerous southern and midwestern states, and wildlife experts are scrambling to figure out what's causing it. Many of the victims have crusty eyes, bloated cheeks and are unable to fly.

According to a statement from the US Geological Survey, wildlife managers in Washington, Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia began getting reports of sick and dead birds with eye enlargement and crusty discharge, as well as neurological symptoms, in late May.

Avian Pandemic

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources urges the public to use a new online reporting system to report ill or dead birds encounters. They claim blue jays, common grackles, and European starlings have been harmed thus far, but other species may also be affected. For testing, more than 20 samples were sent out.

The Ohio Wildlife Center said that it has been admitting songbirds with eye problems and is working with authorities to figure out what's causing the ill birds in the area. According to Indiana wildlife officials, the birds were screened for avian influenza and West Nile virus, but the results were negative.

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Spreading the Illness

Birds congregating at feeders and baths, according to the USGS, can spread illness to one another. According to the experts, people should stop feeding birds until the mortality event is over, clean feeders and baths with a 10% bleach solution, and avoid touching birds.

While it's unclear if the deaths are connected to birdbaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning in April about a salmonella outbreak affecting wild songbirds in many states. The epidemic claimed the lives of eight individuals.

Bizarre Behavior

People claim that the birds are behaving as if they are blind in this current illness epidemic and that they are not avoiding humans.

According to NBC News, infectious illness, chemicals, and even the cicada epidemic are suspicions, according to wildlife expert Laura Kearns of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Even cicadas have been affected this year, with a fungus altering their behavior and causing part of their body to waste away, interrupting their 17-year wait.

Avian Deaths

The deaths of birds are not unheard of. Hundreds of migrating birds died in a huge die-off in New Mexico last year. The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish found that the birds perished of hunger and unseasonably poor weather after examining samples and putting ideas to the test.

The organization said, "Migrating birds arrived in New Mexico in terrible bodily condition, and several birds were already dying to hunger." "The unexpected winter storm aggravated the situation, leading birds to get disoriented and crash into objects and structures. Many were hit by automobiles and dropped on the ground, where they were killed by freezing weather, ice, snow, and predators."

According to a 2007 study, the weather is frequently linked to mass death occurrences.

This new disease-driven avian extinction occurs at a time when birds are confronted with unprecedented difficulties. According to a 2019 research, the United States has lost more than a quarter of its bird populations in the previous 50 years. "This decrease in bird abundance suggests an urgent need to address risks to avoid future avifaunal collapse and related loss of ecosystem integrity, function, and services," the research authors wrote.

Also Read: Scientists Double Effort to Find Possible Next Pandemic, Caused by Other Zoonotic Diseases

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