We had a number of reports during Spring of 1998 of dead birds at feeders, especially Redpolls and Evening Grosbeaks. These dead birds appeared to have salmonella. Salmonella is the most common bird-feeder disease. It is spread when infected birds pass bacteria through their fecal droppings. Other birds get sick when they eat food contaminated by the droppings.
Sick birds are usually lethargic and sit quietly with their feathers all puffed up.
A bird dies quickly as the bacteria spreads through its body. Large flocks concentrated around feeders may foster the easy spread of the disease. Certain strains of salmonella are potentially transmissable to humans and can also be transmitted to dogs and cats, if the animal comes in contact with a diseased bird. If a pet shows signs of illness, you need to let the vet know what the situation is. To prevent human transmission it is recommended that you wear rubber gloves when handling your feeder and that, when finished, you wash your hands well with soap and hot water.