Birds that eat at feeders more likely to get sick, spread disease

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/vt-bte091615.php

Public Release: 17-Sep-2015
Birds that eat at feeders more likely to get sick, spread disease
Virginia Tech researchers found that birdfeeder feeding preference, rather than social position in the flock, as previously thought, is more likely to result in a bird contracting an eye disease
Virginia Tech

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.

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"Our results suggest that in this species, a few individuals -- those that like eating at feeders -- are likely very important in driving disease epidemics," said Dana Hawley, an associate professor of biological sciences in the College of Science, a Fralin Life Science Institute affiliate and member of the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech. "If this is true for other wildlife species as well, we may be able to more effectively reduce disease by targeting these 'high risk' individuals."

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