Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella. It affects pigeons, poultry, pet birds and wild birds, and in pigeons it is known as paratyphoid. In winter it can cause die-offs of songbirds at feeders. Salmonellosis can also be passed on to humans, so hygiene is just as important here as treatment.

The bacterium is shed in the droppings. Birds most often become infected when they eat food or drink water contaminated with the droppings of an infected bird. In pigeons and poultry the bacterium can also pass into the egg, so the young fall ill in their very first days of life.

A big problem is carriers: birds that have recovered from the disease or carry it without symptoms but shed the bacterium from time to time, especially under stress. Spread is favoured by:

• dirty feeders and drinkers,
• wet, mouldy or droppings-contaminated food,
• overcrowding and many birds gathering in a small space,
• rodents that get at the bird food.

In pigeons the disease can show up in several forms, which often overlap:

• intestinal form: diarrhoea, slimy, greenish, foul-smelling droppings, soiled feathers around the vent, weight loss,
• joint form: a swollen wing joint, most often the elbow, so the wing droops, or a swollen leg joint and lameness,
• nervous form: a twisted neck, throwing back or jerking of the head, loss of balance, falling over,
• in the young: death in the egg or in the first days after hatching.

In poultry and pet birds the most common signs are sitting fluffed up, sleepiness, loss of appetite, increased thirst, yellowish or greenish diarrhoea, inflamed and watery eyes, and weight loss. In young chicks and baby birds the disease can quickly end in death.

In winter, when many birds gather at feeders, salmonella spreads easily through shared food contaminated with droppings. The most commonly affected are greenfinches, siskins, bullfinches and sparrows. A sick bird is fluffed up, sits on the feeder or on the ground beneath it, eats slowly and does not fly off when you approach. Some other diseases, for example trichomonosis, produce a similar picture.

If you see a sick or dead bird at a feeder:

• stop feeding the birds for two to three weeks so that they disperse,
• wash and disinfect feeders and bird baths thoroughly, then rinse and dry them,
• remove leftover food and droppings from under the feeder,
• afterwards, put up several smaller feeders spaced apart and clean them regularly,
• keep cats away, as they can become infected by catching sick birds.

Only ever remove dead birds wearing gloves or with your hand inside a bag.

• The bird sits fluffed up and is not eating or drinking.
• Its droppings are watery, bloody or very foul-smelling.
• A wing is drooping or a joint is swollen.
• It twists its neck, loses its balance or falls over.
• Several birds fall ill or die within a short time.

Hand a sick wild bird over to a vet or a wildlife rescue centre, because wild birds are protected and must not be kept at home for long.

A vet confirms salmonella by testing the droppings or a cloacal swab, and in dead birds by post-mortem examination. It is also important to have an antibiogram done, which shows which antibiotic works against that particular bacterium.

The antibiotic and the length of treatment are prescribed by the vet, usually for the whole flock. A follow-up test is recommended after treatment, as birds can remain carriers. There is also a vaccine for pigeons – ask your vet about it. Treating without testing and on your own often only masks the disease.

• Isolate the sick bird in a warm, dark and quiet box or cage.
• Offer a shallow dish of water, but do not pour water into its beak and do not force-feed it.
• Change the sand and bedding every day and wash the dishes in hot water.
• Keep new pigeons and poultry separate for several weeks.
• Store feed dry and protected from rodents.

Yes. In humans, salmonella most often causes a gastrointestinal infection: diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and vomiting. Young children, older people, pregnant women and people with weakened immunity are most at risk.

• Wear gloves when cleaning feeders, cages and pigeon lofts.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after every contact with birds, droppings or a feeder.
• Do not wash feeders in the kitchen sink.
• Do not sweep up droppings dry and do not raise dust.
• Cook eggs from your own poultry thoroughly.
• If you develop diarrhoea with a fever or flu-like symptoms, see a doctor and tell them you have been in contact with birds.

Salmonellosis spreads through contaminated food and water, so clean feeders, drinkers and housing are the best protection. At the first signs of illness, isolate the bird, contact a vet and look after your own hygiene.