You may have heard about the discovery of many dead birds, mostly young Crows, Blue Jays, Grackles, European Starlings were first found in late May in Washington DC. The scientists at the Smithsonian began testing to determine the cause of these deaths. By June dead birds were being found in some counties in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virgin1a, Maryland and Ohio as well as a few others eastern states.

As testing has continued the following pathogens HAVE NOT BEEN detected in any birds tested: : Salmonella and Chlamydia (bacterial pathogens); avian influenza virus, West Nile virus and other flaviviruses, Newcastle disease virus and other paramyxoviruses, herpesviruses and poxviruses; and Trichomonas parasites as well as Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis which was being seen in finch and siskins this winter.

Transmission electron microscopy and additional diagnostic tests, including microbiology, virology, parasitology, and toxicology are ongoing with results expected any day now.

Here in Tennessee so far those birds that have been found, turned in and tested have NOT HAD THE MYSTERY disease. However it is recommended that if you feed birds that you be proactive and clean and disinfect your feeders and water features with a 10% bleach solution and rake up any hulls or leftover seed this should be part of your normal maintenance routine and will help to avoid disease in the future.