In early February, the Wildlife Investigations lab within
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) confirmed the
suspected Salmonella outbreak among pine siskins. CDFW
received more than 1,200 dead bird reports within the month of
January alone. The Bay Area is a hotspot for the bacteria simply
because there is a high concentration of birdfeeders. The
District began to receive reports of dead pine siskins and
finches in late December 2020. Since that initial report, about
half of the total dead birds tested by the San Mateo District
Laboratory have been pine siskins (23/42). District staff
continues to encourage residents to suspend the use of bird
feeders in their yard at this time.
