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"There are two levels to bird feeding.
Level 1 is filling the tube.
Level 2 is knowing when to take it down.
Many of us (myself included!) used to think that 'more food' was always the answer. But science shows that sometimes, the kindest thing we can do is force the flock to social distance. Here is why I took my feeders down this week."
“WE STOPPED AN OUTBREAK AT THE FEEDER.”
The rescue wasn’t picking up a bird—it was removing the buffet.
We saw the patient on Tuesday: a male House Finch sitting listlessly on the perch, his feathers puffed against the February wind, his eyes swollen shut and crusted with fluid.
The immediate human instinct was to rush out and top off the sunflower hearts. We wanted to offer him "support feeding," thinking that easy calories would help him fight the infection.
We did the opposite. We took every feeder down. We emptied the birdbaths. We engaged in a radical act of ecological distancing. And by doing so, we likely saved the fifty healthy birds that were waiting their turn to eat.
The Myth of "Support Feeding"
As one compassionate community member recently noted: "I always thought if I saw a sick bird, I should put out extra high-fat food to help it recover."
This is the Hospitality Bias. We treat wild birds like house guests.
In epidemiology, however, a crowded bird feeder during a disease outbreak is not a hospital; it is a fomite (a contaminated surface). If a bird with Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis rubs its weeping eyes on a plastic feeder port, the bacteria remain viable there. The next healthy bird that lands to eat picks up the pathogen instantly.
"Support feeding" doesn't cure the sick bird; it ensures the infection jumps to the healthy ones.
The Scientific Reality: Mycoplasma gallisepticum
The disease we intercepted is House Finch Eye Disease.
The Pathogen: Caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum, it jumped from poultry to wild finches in the mid-1990s.
The Mechanism: It causes severe inflammation of the conjunctiva (eye membranes). While not always directly fatal, it blinds the bird. A blind bird cannot find food or evade predators.
The Vector: Research from the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab confirms that transmission is density-dependent. The more birds you crowd onto a single tube feeder, the higher the viral load and transmission rate.
What is Happening Right Now (February)
Why was this intervention critical this week?
In February, backyard feeders in the United States become high-pressure zones. Natural seed sources are exhausted or buried under snow, forcing local flocks to congregate in tight clusters at artificial food sources.
The Hygiene Gap: As another observer wisely pointed out, "It’s hard to force yourself to scrub a feeder when it's 20 degrees outside." This is the danger. February's freezing temperatures and lack of cleaning create a bacterial bottleneck. The cold preserves the bacteria on surfaces, and the crowding guarantees contact.
The Success Story: The 14-Day Reset
We followed the Wisconsin DNR protocol:
The Pull: We removed all feeders for 14 days. This forced the flock to disperse and forage naturally in the wild, breaking the chain of contact.
The Bleach: We scrubbed every feeder in a 10% bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) to kill the incredibly resilient Mycoplasma bacteria.
The Ground: We raked up the shell debris beneath the station to remove mold and droppings.
When we re-hung the feeders yesterday, the flock returned. The sick male was gone—likely succumbed to nature—but the rest of the cardinals, chickadees, and finches were clear-eyed and active.
We didn't save the patient. We saved the population.
Practical Action: The Sanitation Protocol
If you see a single bird with red, swollen, or crusty eyes:
Stop Feeding Immediately. Do not wait to see if it "gets better."
Sanitize: Use the 10% bleach method. Vinegar is often insufficient for killing durable pathogens like Mycoplasma or Salmonella.
Wait: Give the station at least two weeks of downtime.
The Verdict
Sometimes compassion looks like distance.
Clean the station. Break the chain.
Let health return before the flock does.
Scientific References & Evidence
Disease Ecology: Dhondt, A. A., et al. (1998). (Documentation of the rapid spread of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in eastern North American finch populations).
Transmission Dynamics: Cornell Wildlife Health Lab. "House Finch Eye Disease." (Identifies tube feeders and crowding as primary transmission vectors).
Sanitation Protocols: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). "Bird Feeding Tips." (Standardized recommendation for 10% bleach solution and temporary cessation of feeding during outbreaks).
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Back yard bird counters, what are you seeing? I am counting throughout the day at home. This morning 40 plus happy mourning doves. And my first chipmunk sighting for 2026. Happy Backyard Bird Counting!--Pam
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I'll watch for my chipmunks... none seen yet but the opossum was out the other night and I saw skunk tracks. 🙂 Lots of Pine Siskin - over 150! Many fewer Goldfinch, I read that when the siskin come in they stay on the fringe of feeders and go to natural sources. It was recommended to add feeders but I think I have too many already. I did spread the seed out so more room for birds under the feeders.
When is the Tawas Migration Festival this year?
Downy, Pileated, Red bellied, Hairy and Red headed Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Evening Grosbeak, Juncos, White and Red breasted Nuthatches, Chickadees, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Cardinals and lots of squirrels here north of Hale! 😊
Monthly Archives: December 2025
Results of Christmas Bird Count 2025
The Christmas Bird Count for the Tawas Circle was held on Wednesday, December 17th and for Oscoda Circle on Saturday, December 20th, 2025. Results can be found on our Christmas Bird Count page, under Initiatives. Found here: Webpage. We hope … Continue reading
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