As Songbird Deaths Decline From Mystery Illness, Connecticut Allows Bird Feeders Again

Earlier this Summer, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) issued a press release urging residents here in the Nutmeg State to take their bird feeders down, disinfect them, and store them away for the time being. Some people took it as sad, believing that the songbirds would go hungry without humans supplementing their natural diet.

The CT DEEP did this for a very good reason, an unknown illness has been killing songbirds this year, and a diseased American Robin was found in Thomaston in the middle of July. DEEP issued the order to take your feeders down to try to stop the spread of this still-unidentified disease, which causes the infected bird's eyes to swell up, present neurological symptoms, tremors, paralysis, and ultimately, die.

Very good news for us bird lovers broke over the weekend, the CT DEEP has issued another statement, this time telling Connecticut residents that it's ok now to put your feeders back up outside. This modification to the previously released guidelines comes after crunching the numbers, a decrease in dead birds through the first weeks of August, and an increase of natural bird dispersal, (They figured out that a lot of bird feeders disappeared?)

Connecticut residents may resume feeding birds, but the CT DEEP strongly recommends you remain vigilant in your watch for birds that appear to have the unknown disease, frequently clean all feeders and bird baths, and remove any spilled or used seeds that fall underneath the feeders.

If you do see a bird that appears to be in distress, please contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, you can find that list by clicking HERE. 

If you find a dead bird, the DEEP would like you to fill out a report on their website, they're collecting data in the hopes that together, we can find out what's happening to our songbirds. Fill out a report of a dead bird sighting by clicking HERE