Bird & Nature Blog
A clutch of the latest stories from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus (HPAI) is active in southern Wisconsin. HPAI is a deadly viral disease that infects the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts of birds. It has most significantly affected domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks) and farms may suffer rapid spread and high mortality rates. Wild birds can be infected and carry the virus too. Read this post to learn more about HPAI and what you can do to limit risk and spread.
Photo via Pixabay
Middleton, WI residents have an important, time-sensitive opportunity to support the proposed Bird-safe Glass Ordinance on or before the February 20, 2024 public hearing. Please submit comments using the information below by 1:00pm CT on February 20, 2024, and if you’re able, join the meeting to voice your support for bird-safe glass and responsible development!
Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar
Here is Madison Audubon’s updated recommendations for bird feeders and baths in response to the emergence of mystery illness affecting feeder birds. Madison Audubon has been closely following the reports from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center and researchers across the United States studying the disease. Unfortunately, the cause remains unknown, but reported cases are dropping. It is possible that the reduction in cases could be attributed to people following suggested preventative measures, such as taking down feeders and baths
In Wisconsin, there are not yet any confirmed cases of birds sickened or killed by the mystery illness and we're hoping that we can work together to keep it that way.
If you had the power to save birds by making a small change, wouldn’t you?
Birds face many threats, including habitat loss, pesticide poisoning, and climate change. This year has been especially tough.
The severe winter storm in the south this past February is suspected to have caused significant bird deaths in migratory bird populations. A mysterious bird illness reported in the East Coast is continuing to spread into the Midwest, killing and sickening even more songbirds. And, hundreds of millions―even up to a billion―birds die each year in the United States after colliding with windows.
In spite of these devastating difficulties, there is hope.
Indigo Bunting photo by Kelly Colgan Azar.
What a lovely weekend of bird songs and sightings... We are getting excited for our Great Wisconsin Birdathon this Thursday!
All of us at Madison Audubon are animal lovers, and have our own cats and dogs that we could not live without. But science has shown us that free-roaming cats can be a major danger for birds, including those especially bright and colorful passing migrants.
Photo by Kelly Colgan Azar
