As Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to take its toll on bird populations everywhere, and specifically in Indiana, many of us are wondering whether we should take down our feeders and bird baths. The latest article from Cornell Lab of Ornithology, posted on February 17, 2025, contains this advice:
“There has been widespread transmission of avian flu to wild bird species, including waterfowl and raptors. However, there have been relatively few documented cases of HPAI in songbirds and other typical feeder visitors to date, although this may change with increased testing or changes to the virus. That means there is currently a low risk of an outbreak among wild songbirds, and no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry, according to the National Wildlife Disease Program. We do always recommend that you clean bird feeders and birdbaths regularly as a way to keep many kinds of diseases at bay.”
The whole article can be accessed at the Cornell Lab website.
The National Audubon Society is in agreement with that advice, and local authorities so far have not advised otherwise.
Indiana Audubon Society is hosting a free webinar on the topic on March 13. You can register for this event online.
As this is an evolving situation, we recommend that you check these sources periodically to be sure that the guidance has not changed.
Robert Cooper Audubon Society 