You have heard “don’t feed the bears.” Well, you are in luck since we do not have bears in Indiana, except for the occasional stray that comes across the river from Kentucky but then shortly returns. Besides, it probably gets lonely if you are the only bear. But as of late May, we do have “don’t feed the birds.”
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources started receiving reports of sick and dying birds, which led them to issue this statement. This is occurring not only in Indiana, but several other states. Birdwatchers and other residents were reporting birds with eye crusting, discharge or swelling, tremors and uncontrolled movements to name just a few. Though birds have been tested they still have not determined a cause.
But the DNR has asked people to help by removing birdbaths and common shared food sources such as feeders to help reduce birds congregating and spreading the disease. Hmm, sounds familiar. After thinking about how much we enjoy our feathered friends, one afternoon we decided to remove all our bird items and gave them all a good bath with a 10 percent bleach solution before putting them away. But the feeders that I was most reluctant to take down were the hummingbird feeders, especially after I have already written about them making about a 2,000-mile flight to return to us. (Yes, we have two hummingbird feeders, because they don’t like to share).
I thought maybe I could reason my way to keeping these two feeders as I re-read the DNR’s list of birds effected: blue jay, cardinal, robin, starling, house finch, wren, red-headed woodpecker, sparrow, starling, common grackle, and brown-headed cowbird. Yep, no hummingbirds! But after more thought, I decided to call the DNR and ask them why they asked for hummingbird feeders to be removed since hummingbirds are not on their list. I didn’t want to hurt my chances of these little creatures not returning next year, especially since they seem to know right where their feeders are supposed to be even when not hanging. Yes, they recommended removing them too as other states had reported sick hummingbirds as well. But they were generous in sharing their wealth of knowledge and reassured me they should return next year because they return to their territories and not their feeders. Though it sure looks like that is what they are doing. So down they came with careful watching of what would happen when we were no longer providing the food they like.
But guess what? Nature has been providing just fine without human intervention. Imagine that! I guess this will not make the bird seed companies very happy if this gets out. The birds still look healthy as they gather from the ground, grasses, insects, worms, and blooms of flowers. We still get to see them close even if not as close as the feeders. But the hummingbirds are still as close as before as they will not give it up and continue to check where their feeders hung. They then sometimes buzz the windows hovering, so we are sure to see them as if asking, ‘What gives… where’s our food’? Which makes me reply, ‘It’s for your own good. You will have to get it yourself.’
Wait, just to set the record straight, no, I do not really talk to the birds. But I can think it, right?
If you would like updates about Indiana birds or need to know what to do if you find a sick or dead bird, please visit www.in.gov/dnr.
Teresa Holland is a writer, photographer, quilter, and advanced-practice registered nurse. You may write to her at [email protected].
