DNR: 6 more Indiana counties can resume feeding birds

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that six more counties across the state can resume bird-feeding, but still recommends that a few counties refrain from the activity.

The DNR gave the green light for residents of Carroll, Clark, Floyd, Morgan,Tippecanoe and Whitley counties to return to bird-feeding.

Residents of the following nine consistently-affected counties are asked to still refrain from feeding birds: Allen, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Lake, Marion, Monroe, Porter and St. Joseph.

Eighty-one Indiana counties are now free to feed the birds, but the DNR recommended that all bird feeders be cleaned at least once a week with a 10% bleach solution and rinsed thoroughly.

After numerous reports of sick and dying songbirds throughout the state, the DNR recommended on June 25 that all Hoosiers stop feeding birds on to slow the spread of the still-undetermined illness. According to the DNR, they received more than 3,400 reports of sick or dead birds in the state.

The cause of the illness is still undetermined, the DNR said.