Dottie Cannon and James Beck aren't the only ones who are finding dead finches in their yard, and it might not be the bird food that's to blame.
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission district biologist Michael Juhan said people have been calling him about dead finches and pine siskins for a few months.
On Tuesday morning he responded to a call in Valdese concerning dead finches.
"Since the weather started getting warmer, we started getting calls," Juhan said.
Cannon and Beck believed their birds may have died because of the peanut suet they put out.
Tests on the birds confirm they died from salmonellosis, but Juhan was quick to say the bacteria may not have originated from tainted bird food.
N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services veterinary pathologist Dr. Tahseen Aziz said, "We don't know if it is related to (bird food) or not...There is no question it is salmonellosis."
Juhan added, "There is no evidence to suggest that there is a link between bird seed and the dying birds."
"Animals out there have (salmonellosis) and sometimes it kind of flares up," he said.
Burke County Cooperative Extension agent Damon Pollard said this strain of salmonella is a natural occurance among the finches. He recalled a similar outbreak in 2002-03.
Affected birds sit on feeders and are not scared when people approach. Birds may have difficulty swallowing, congregate around a water source, display ruffled feathers and have a general "sick" appearance, Juhan said.
He said the disease is passed through fecal matter, including feces on feeders.
Juhan said humans are susceptible to salmonellosis, so anyone should wear gloves when handling dead birds. The bodies may be buried or double-bagged and put in the trash.
Pollard recommends taking down feeders, cleaning them in soap and water and soaking them in a solution of 10-parts water to one part bleach. Wood feeders may need to be soaked longer in order to remove all the organic material, Pollard added.
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