Tweeters,

At my backyard feeder I have observed a large number (50%) of House Finches
with symptoms of Avian Pox. Disinfecting the feeder with bleach has not been
effective, so I have taken down the feeder to discourage disease transmission.
Any ideas about how long I should keep the feeder down? A Sharp-shinned Hawk
frequently hunts in my yard. What happens if he eats an infected finch? Why
do no other feeder visitors, e.g., House Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees,
Oregon Juncos, show symptoms of the disease?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Janet Keen
West Seattle