Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: American Goldfinch

Salt Toxicity in the Winter

Rock salt is often used to make icy roadways safer for drivers—this practice, however, can be extremely dangerous for birds and other animals.

This American Goldfinch was admitted to the Center with salt toxicity after being found fluffed, weak, and unable to fly along a salted road. This is a common issue this time of year, especially when roads are heavily salted in preparation for or in response to a large snowstorm.

Small grains of salt similar in size to the grit intentionally ingested by these birds often contains enough sodium to kill a songbird. At lower levels, it will cause neurologic signs including lethargy and reduced fear responses.

You may have seen fluffed birds sitting in salted roadways, refusing to move as cars approach and not responding to the honking of horns and other stimuli. Sadly, many of these birds will be killed by vehicle collisions if not the salt toxicity. If you see songbirds out on salted roads that are not flying away and can be easily and safely contained, please contact a rehabilitator to get that bird care as quickly as possible.

American Goldfinch (patient 24-43) receiving supportive care at BRWC. @BRWC 2024

To make matters worse, many road salts contain additional impurities that can be toxic to birds and other wildlife and can make heavy metals in the salts and roadways more bioavailable. As the snow or ice melts, these contaminants flow into the ground and away from the roadways eventually causing issues for aquatic wildlife and water sources.

Unfortunately, even salts labelled as “safe” are typically not safe for the environment (though they may not irritate mammalian paws as much when walked upon) and non-salt alternatives like sand come with their own environmental concerns.

When possible, around your own home, limit salt to areas of high foot traffic or areas like stairs that may be particularly dangerous for humans. Minimizing use is the best option.

This finch was lucky. With fluid and heat support they were able to lower the concentration of sodium in their blood and the signs of toxicity eventually resolved. This patient was released back at the found location after only one day in our hospital!

American Goldfinch patient at release. @BRWC 2024

Advocacy Alert!

If you’ve been following us for a while, you’ve likely seen many stories about cat attack victims. Cat attacks are one of our most common causes of admission, accounting for approximately 15% of our 3,600+ annual cases.

Virginia is finally taking a step to help outdoor cats and wildlife, while supporting public health through House Bill 221.

We encourage you to join us in SUPPORTING this bill!

It will direct Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, with stakeholder guidance, to create a model plan that localities can choose to adopt and establish minimum standards for free-roaming cat management plans.

Cats, even unowned free-roaming cats, are domestic animals and deserve our protection.

It is not their fault that they are outdoors, and it is certainly not a humane situation for them. Wildlife also deserve protection from non-native predators and humans deserve protection from feline-spread public health threats like toxoplasmosis.

This bill is a first step at beginning to address this situation in a humane manner and we hope all of our Virginia-based followers will all reach out to delegates to express your support.

Click here to ask your VA State Legislator to Support HB 221

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