There is a new strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the US.
This new strain arrived in the United States in early 2022 and quickly spread to 43 states, including New York. Over 40 million birds, wild and domestic, have already died from this disease as of July 2022. HPAI is almost 100% fatal in certain waterfowl species, poultry, and raptors.
There are ways you can help, including by keeping your bird feeders clean!
How to reduce the spread of avian influenza at your bird feeder
1. Clean
Wearing gloves, mix a solution of 10% bleach and 90% water. Clean and rinse your feeder thoroughly and then let it dry before refilling and putting it back up.
It’s typically recommended to clean your bird feeder every 2-4 weeks, but while avian influenza is still spreading we recommend increasing that to every week.
This helps slow not only the spread of HPAI, but also other bird diseases like conjunctivitis.
2. Rake
By regularly raking underneath your bird feeder, you can also slow the spread of disease. When seeds accumulate on the ground it can cause birds to gather on the ground where bird droppings also accumulate.
HPAI is spread through bird droppings, so it’s important to keep both the ground and the feeder clean!
3. Move
Rotating your bird feeder to different areas around the yard can also help reduce disease spread.