My brother from Florida who is a beginning birder and who feeds birds asked me this same question, so I went to the USDA/APHIS website to see if there is any advice there. (I have not seen any advice from the Lab of O).
USDA APHIS | 2022 Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Wild Birds<https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-wild-birds> This site shows some Florida birds found dead from the bird flu. N=62. All over the state. Black vulture, bald eagle, brown pelican, scaup (ducks). [New York also has had birds dead from this virus] Nothing I looked at said to stop bird feeding at feeders. However, a couple places mentioned keeping feeders cleaned regularly to help stop spread of any diseases. Basically cleaning bird feeders is like doing human food dishes in a restaurant: Wash all debris away with warm, soapy water. Rinse well. Immerse in or spray with a bleach solution mixed acc. to directions on bottle. Water with bleach should be around 75 degrees, not super hot. Air dry before re-filling with bird seed. Donna L. Scott 535 Lansing Station Road Lansing, NY 14882 [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Carol Cedarholm Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 6:30 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L <[email protected]> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Avian flu Does anyone have any information about whether we should be taking down feeders as a result of the recent outbreak of avian flu? -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
