UPDATE (August 10, 2021):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Most folks in Indiana are getting the green light to once again feed the wild birds in their yards. The state’s Department of Natural Resources says people in 76 counties can resume feeding birds.
But, the DNR is recommending that people in 16 other counties, including Allen, Whitley, and Marion County, still not feed their birds.
The DNR says it has not yet figured out what was making wild songbirds sick across the state.
Back in June, the state asked pretty much everyone to stop feeding birds until they could get a handle on the mystery sickness.
Read more here
UPDATE (July 16, 2021):
There are now reports of sick or dying birds in 69 Indiana counties.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources says more people are finding songbirds that are suffering from the mystery illness killing birds across the country.
There are 92 counties in Indiana, and the list of where birds are not being found with the illness is now shorter than the list of counties with sick birds.
Read more here
UPDATE (July 5, 2021):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – The state’s Department of Natural Resources is adding three more counties to the list of places with sick and dead songbirds.
The DNR on Friday said there are now reports of the mystery illness in 53 of Indiana’s 92 counties.
Researchers don’t yet know what is causing the illness, but they have asked people across the state to stop feeding birds while they figure it out.
Read more here
UPDATE (July 1, 2021):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Sick and dying birds have now been found in over half of Indiana.
On Wednesday, the state’s Department of Natural Resources said there are now reports of birds suffering from a mystery illness in 50 of Indiana’s 92 counties.
Blue jays, the American robin, the common grackle, the starling, the northern cardinal and the brown-headed cowbird are the birds that are getting sick the most. Indiana has asked everyone in the state to take down their bird feeders.
Read more here
UPDATE (June 29, 2021):
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Whatever is killing songbirds in the state of Indiana is not limited to just a few parts of the state. On Monday, the Department of Natural Resources said there are reports of sick or dead birds in 40 counties across Indiana.
The DNR says it received over 1,100 reports and the Indiana State Board of Animal Health put out a warning to poultry farmers on Monday.
DNR started investigating the dead birds last week when there were reports from five counties.
DNR has asked everyone in the state to take down their bird feeders until they know just what’s going on.
People are asked not to feed birds, to avoid handling them, and to keep pets away from sick or dying birds.
Read more here
UPDATE (June 28, 2021):
The state of Indiana is asking people to take down all of their bird feeders. Researchers say more birds in more counties are getting sick and dying from a mystery illness.
DNR thinks there is a link to bird feeders. The state says there are reports of sick or dead birds in 15 counties, including in Indianapolis and the rest of Marion County. DNR says it’s not the bird flu or West Nile, but they are not sure exactly what it is.
Read more here
UPDATE (June 24, 2021):
The state of Indiana is asking people to stop feeding wild birds.
On Wednesday, the state’s Department of Natural Resources yesterday asked people to take down their bird feeders after reports of sick and dead songbirds in Monroe, Clark, Jefferson, LaGrange, and Lake counties.
DNR says people should hold off on feeding wild birds until researchers can figure out just what is making the birds sick.
Read more here
ORIGINAL STORY:
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (ADAMS) – Indiana wants to know why songbirds are dying in a handful of counties across the state.
The state’s Department of Natural Resources says a number of birds in Monroe, Clark, Jefferson, LaGrange, and Lake counties have all gotten sick or died over the past few months.
DNR says scientists are testing the birds to see if there’s a disease or a virus that is impacting them.
In the meantime, DNR says people should clean their bird feeders and never handle birds they find in trees or on the ground.
Read more here
