Birds That Eat at Feeders Are More Likely to Get Sick, Spread Disease, Say Researchers

Newswise — BLACKSBURG, Va., Sept. 17, 2015 – Wild songbirds that prefer to eat at bird feeders have an increased risk of acquiring a common eye disease. In turn, these birds also spread the disease more quickly to their flock mates, according to an international research team led by Virginia Tech scientists.

The researchers found that this feeding preference, rather than its social position in the flock, as previously thought, was more likely to result in a bird contracting the eye disease. The results of the study, funded by the National Science Foundation, were published Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.