I'm sure many others on this list participate in Project FeederWatch through 
the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (CLO).  For those of you who don't get 
their newsletter, I'm passing along this information about an apparent 
outbreak of conjunctivitis in House Sparrows.

If you need an excuse to look more closely at House Sparrows (or as a 
California friend calls them "Burger Kinglets"), this gives you one (I 
certainly have plenty at my feeders right now!).  Anyone can submit 
information to CLO if you see affected birds.  These kinds of disease 
developments are important to track, and if it shows up in Maryland, it is 
good to know.

Jim Nelson
Bethesda


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Project FeederWatch" <>
To: "PFWNEWS-L" <>
Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 12:38 PM
Subject: FeederWatch eNews: House Sparrows with eye disease


> Project FeederWatch Electronic Newsletter
> October 25, 2006
>
> Since mycoplasmal conjunctivitis was first observed in House Finches in
> 1994 the bacterial disease has caused eye infections in several other
> species of wild birds including American Goldfinches, Purple Finches,
> Evening Grosbeaks, and Pine Grosbeaks. The same bacteria is suspected of
> causing this conjuntivitus in House Sparrows, too.
>
> In October 2006, the Lab of Ornithology received information that there
> may be an emerging epidemic of conjunctivitis in House Sparrows in the
> Chicago area. In order to determine if an epidemic is beginning in House
> Sparrows we are asking citizen scientists across the continent to report
> sightings of House Sparrows with eye infections. Learn how to report
> sick House Sparrow sightings here:
> http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/News/houspa.htm
>
> More information on mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in House Finches can be
> found at the House Finch Disease Survey website:
> http://www.birds.cornell.edu/hofi/
>
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