Current Events > NC says don't touch dead birds as mysterious illness kills birds around the US

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article253389133.html

A mysterious illness that has been killing songbirds in mid-Atlantic states may have moved into North Carolina, according the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The disease which cause the eyes of birds to crust over has been expanding its reach since being reported four months ago in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. More recently additional states have been included, and our agency has begun receiving reports of sick and dying birds which may be due to the new disease, the N.C. officials reported Tuesday in a Facebook post. Experts believe the illness is spread by birds congregating at feeders and baths. Therefore, North Carolina officials are asking people to remove bird feeders until the threat subsides. We have not heard of any reports about these health issues affecting hummingbirds, commission officials said. So, we dont necessarily need to recommend you take down your (hummingbird) feeders, but be sure to clean them and change the food regularly. There have been no reports of humans being impacted by the illness, but experts are recommending people do not handle sick or dead birds. If moving a bird is necessary, use gloves or an inverted plastic bag to prevent direct contact with it, the commission says. Keep pets (including pet birds) away from sick or dead wild birds. The U.S. Geological Survey began posting alerts about the illness in June, noting it was receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. It was first detected in late May. Behavioral abnormalities are also among the symptoms, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources says.

The illness is now being reported as far north as Connecticut and as far west as Indiana, where the state received more than 3,400 reports of sick or dead birds. Adding to the mystery: Some of the impacted states (Virginia and Indiana) say reports of the illness are subsiding. In Indiana, state officials announced this week people could put bird feeders back out in 76 of the states more than 90 counties. Some impacted states are asking people to remove bird baths from yards until the cause is found. Testing on dead birds is ongoing, but researchers have eliminated a number of causes, including Salmonella and Chlamydia, avian influenza virus and West Nile virus, the USGS reports. While the majority of affected birds are reported to be fledgling common grackles, blue jays, European starlings and American robins, other species of songbirds have been reported as well, the USGS said. No definitive cause(s) of illness or death have been determined at this time. No human health or domestic livestock and poultry issues have been reported.



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Why would anyone touch a dead bird anyway?

Are we witnessing the next COVID? If that cross over to humans. We could be fucked.

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sabrestorm posted...

Why would anyone touch a dead bird anyway?

Do Americans really crowd around dead things touching them like in Skyrim

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Lebronwon posted...

Carolina, according the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The disease which cause the eyes of birds to crust over

Gross

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sabrestorm posted...

Why would anyone touch a dead bird anyway?

I used to touch them all the time when I was a kid because we had feral cats living in the woods and there were just so many dead birds

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CORVID-19 probably

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First they want us to stop touching dead birds, which may not seem like such a big deal, but before you know it theyll be gently advising us to take simple common sense steps to avoid contracting a serious airborne virus. Not in my America!

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Charlie wasn't wrong. Bird law in this country is insane.

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This sounds like the opening to a zombie story

Lebronwon posted...

The disease which cause the eyes of birds to crust over

People about be walking around like Homer after he got LASIK surgery, once this crosses over to humans.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wVwHydEgzAA


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Im reminded of the lockdown protester telling people it was fake and to cough on his face.

Now someone is gonna upload a montage of themselves touching as many dead birds as possible. Take that liberals

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Aw man.. poor songbirds :/