This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series brings you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
The Game and Fish office in Lander is warning locals on the north side of town to be aware of sick and dead birds.
The department said it’s been receiving reports of house finches, a small North American songbird, displaying crusty eyes and lethargy. The department says these are signs of a bacterial infection known as avian conjunctivitis.
Game and Fish asking residents to remove seeded bird feeders and other similar points where birds may gather to help slow the spread of the illness.
The department recommends providing multiple, spread-out water sources to prevent crowding and to empty and refresh water daily. Bird baths should be disinfected once a week by scrubbing away dirt and feces with warm, soapy water, applying a bleach solution- 9 parts water, 1 part bleach (10%), letting it sit for 15 minutes and rinsing thoroughly before drying completely.
In extreme cases, the bird’s eyes can become swollen shut and the bird becomes blind, according to the Cornell Lab.
Avian conjunctivitis is not known to spread to humans.
