Hi Tweeters,

Lethargic, fluffed siskins without noticible eye problems could be
suffering from a variety of ailments, but the most likely cause, based on
(admittedly a tiny number) of submissions to our WSU lab, is
salmonellosis. Salmonella could be the original cause of the disease, or
may be the the result of increased susceptibility due to other causes.
Worse, in the past couple of years these salmonella isolates have tended
to be a highly virulent strain. I'd caution you that if you handle any of
these birds, even to dispose of a dead bird, to be careful to wash your
hands thoroughly afterward.

My advice to someone who is losing birds at their feeders is to seriously
consider stopping feeding for a couple of months to let any concentrated
bacterial contamination dissipate. (In some important ways, birdfeeders
are the nature lovers' equivalents of cattle feedlots, and sustained
'unnaturally' high density populations tend to support 'unnatural' levels
of infectious disease transmission....)

Birdfeeder and bacteriologist,

Tom Besser

...........................................................
Thomas E. Besser Phone:(509)335-6075
WA Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab FAX: (509) 335-8529
Pullman WA 99164-7040 tbesser at vetmed.wsu.edu