Sick, dying songbirds now found in 50 Indiana counties

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Eight additional Indiana counties have reported sick and dying songbirds since Monday, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Reports of sick and dying birds now include 50 of Indiana’s 92 counties: Allen, Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Clinton, Decatur, Delaware, Elkhart, Fayette, Floyd, Gibson, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Ohio, Orange, Parke, Porter, Pulaski, Putnam, Shelby, Starke, St. Joseph, Tippecanoe, Union, Vanderburgh, Washington and Whitley.

DNR says blue jay, American robin, common grackle, starling, northern cardinal and brown-headed cowbird are the species primarily affected. All birds have tested negative for avian influenza and West Nile virus.

It is still not clear what is causing the outbreak.

DNR is continuing to recommend all Hoosiers remove birdfeeders.