May 2, 2022
American Goldfinch, Photo by Ray Hennessy on Unsplash
At a recent meeting of the Nongame Wildlife Advisory Council for the Department of Wildlife and Parks, of which Kansas Sierra Club is a member, wildlife disease biologist Shane Hesting provided information concerning Avian Influenza (AI) and backyard bird feeders.
At this time in Kansas, the risk to songbirds is low. There is a protective habitat separation between songbirds and waterfowl. Most waterfowl have moved north in their migration but the virus may be an issue in the fall when the waterfowl return.
In the meantime, be sure to thoroughly clean your bird feeders to prevent other pathogens from affecting the birds visiting your feeders.