South Carolina wildlife officials are asking residents to hang bird feeders to drop them in the coming weeks, fearing that they could spread disease.
The SC Department of Natural Resources said it is concerned about the increase in bird deaths and believes that dirty feeders are to blame.
Residents are expected to remove feeders by early April, they said.
“It is common for the formation of fungi or bacteria in the wet seeds of birds, both in the feeder and in the soil,” said the DNR in a media alert.
“This moldy bird seed and dirty feeders can make birds sick,” read the message. “Specifically, mold can cause fatal bird diseases. The risk is greatly reduced when bird feeders are cleaned regularly.”
Wildlife officials have found that Pine Siskins – small birds of the finch family that spread widely across North America, but are considered by conservationists to be in sharp decline – and some other species are dying.
“Although the Pinheiro Siskins are more susceptible than other species to getting sick from dirty bird feeders, there has been an increase in the number of reports that SCDNR has received from across the state in recent weeks,” according to the agency.
The department said residents should not be concerned that short-term removal will cause permanent damage to birds, which sometimes favor the seeds placed by humans.
“Temporarily removing bird feeders from your yard will not prevent wild birds from returning after the feeder is put back,” said DNR.
Bird feeders can seriously harm local bird populations if properties are not maintained, officials said. Spoiled food, seed husks and residues can harbor disease-causing bacteria and fungi.
“In some yards, the Pine Siskins are meeting in large numbers during this ‘outbreak’ year,” said Jennifer Tyrrell, engagement manager at Audubon South Carolina. “It is important now that, if you are seeing Pine Siskins, lower your feeders until they have left the area, as Salmonella cases are on the rise.”
An irruption year is marked by species of finches that move south in search of food when their usual sources – coniferous forests in the United States and Canada – are reduced, according to the National Audubon Society.
“Regardless of whether or not you have flocks of finches in your feeders, keeping them clean is essential if you want to feed the birds responsibly and safely in your yard,” said Tyrrell.
Even if an owner keeps their feeders clean, others in the area may not be, she said, meaning that other birds may be bringing disease to contaminate other feeders.
Catch up Gregory Yee at 843-323-9175. Follow him on Twitter @GregoryYYee.