Pine Siskins are extremely susceptible to Salmonella and this is most likely the cause (symptoms are right). I hear about this every time there is an eruption of them. I had just as of the other day 40 + pine siskins at the feeders. So many of them feeding in close proximity causes this. I have had this happen before, including just yesterday. I wash my feeders out about every day, but there are just too many birds to keep up with. I currently have my Nyjer feeding station shut down. I suggest washing/disinfecting feeders and birdbaths out daily. Or just take the Nyjer feeders down and let the siskins thin out. Donald Morse Jr New Richmond, OH http://donaldthebirder.blogspot.com/ On Tue, Feb 17, 2009 at 10:31 AM, Dorothy Dawson-sheldon <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Greetings, > This morning it was warm enough to walk the perimeter of the property > as I fed the birds. We have downy, hairy, red bellied and pileated > woodpeckers pounding on dead trees and at the feeders. > > I've also had an abundance of pine siskins at my feeders here in > Wakeman, Lorain County all winter. While they all appear to be in > excellent health, a fellow birder who lives in North Carolina is > reporting sick pine siskins showing up at feeders. I wonder if there > is any evidence of a problem here in Ohio ? Here is her inquiry and > symptoms reported: > > "'I've had several e-mails from the carolina bird list about sick > pine siskins. Here are the symptoms: puffy, and lethargic. I have > seen one at my feeder with the same symptoms. You can practically > walk right up to them and it won't move. With all the posts it seems > to be wide spread in the carolinas. It isn't affecting goldfinches or > purple finches, just pine siskins. Just wondering if you are seeing > any of these signs out your way as well?" > > ______________________________________________________________________ > > Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. > Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. > Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at > www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. > > You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: > http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS > Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] > ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]