Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: American Goldfinch

Please clean your bird feeders!

This American Goldfinch came to the Center due to conjunctivitis which prevented it from flying and finding food. This issue is most commonly caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum – also known as “Finch Eye Disease”. We have also treated many other patients with feeder-borne diseases this year such as trichomoniasis, avian poxvirus, salmonellosis, mycotoxicosis, and others.

Photos / Blue Ridge Wildlife Center

People feed birds because they love having them around, but please remember that feeding is not an inherently safe activity. The safest way to attract birds to your yard is by planting native plants. To find which plants are native to your area and will attract birds, use Audubon’s Native Plants Database.

If you have bird feeders (especially platform feeders where birds can eat and poop in the same spot), be sure to clean them every 1-2 weeks by following these simple steps:

1. Completely empty the feeder and toss any remaining food.
2. Take the feeder apart and scrub each part clean.
3. Disinfect each part by spraying or soaking in a 10% bleach solution for 15 minutes.
4. Rinse and allow it to dry completely before refilling.

Be sure to clean your bird baths too, as these water sources can also harbor dangerous diseases.

Never feed on the ground as dirt is impossible to disinfect. Sweep up well under your feeders daily to remove any fallen seed. Try to use feeders that are made of non-porous materials (avoid wood) so that you can truly disinfect them.

Birds do not need supplemental food to survive – they would be just fine without our feeders. This is done for the enjoyment of humans, so we must make every effort to make the activity as safe as possible for our avian friends!

Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.