With bird flu spreading through Michigan, should people fill their backyard bird feeders?
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With bird flu spreading through Michigan, should people fill their backyard bird feeders?With bird flu in Michigan, should you refill your feeders?
Bird flu has been detected in Michigan, including a backyard poultry exposure in Ingham County in March 2025. But officials – from Michigan DNR and Michigan State University and Michigan Audubon – say backyard feeders are OK this year so long as there aren’t also chickens or waterfowl involved. And they’re refilling their own feeders too.
Expertssayit’sgenerallysafetousebirdfeedersthisspringdespitetheprevalenceofavianinfluenza,particularlyiffeedersarekeptcleanandusersdon’thavebackyardpoultry.Ifunusualbirdbehaviororsignsofillnessareobserved,feedersshouldbetakendown,cleanedwithbleach,andleftdownforseveralweeks.Thoseconcernedaboutdiseasespreadcanplantnativespeciestoattractinsect-eatingbirdsinsteadofusingfeeders.LANSING—Thebackyardbirdsarebackbutwithavianinfluenzabeingwidespread,isitsafeforpeopletofi
