Daily Brief
Jan. 9, 2025
Is it Safe to Feed the Birds?
When asked about the health and safety of feeding birds now, Kutztown University ornithologist Dr. Todd Underwood replied:
“It is safe to keep your bird feeder filled and active right now. Songbirds are not that susceptible to avian flu and there is no current outbreak of any diseases among songbirds visiting feeders. No wildlife agency has made any recommendation to take down feeders right now.
You should responsibly feed the birds and keep your feeder clean though. This means once a month scrubbing the feeder with soap and water and then a 10-minute soak in 10% bleach. Best to do in a laundry room sink or a bucket outside and not in your kitchen sink. I bought a few extra feeders so I can just swap out a clean one each month and then I wash the dirty ones sometime when the weather is nice. The main diseases we might have at our feeders around here are mycoplasmal conjunctivitis (bad pink eye for birds) that occurs in finches or salmonellosis (less common). These can spread at bird feeders. I occasionally see conjunctivitis at my home feeder in House Finches. If you see a bird with eyes nearly swollen shut or looking lethargic (doesn't fly when you get close to it), you should then clean the feeder once a week and maybe take down the feeder for a week or two. Also, be sure to wash your hands after filling your bird feeders or washing them.”
Isn't it great having experts like Todd in our community?
Kurt Friehauf, Physical Sciences
Weather
Weather forecasts are provided by KU's Dr. Michael Davis and "Monsoon Mike" Regensburger
Fair. Windy. Very cold. High 30.
Announcements
Upcoming Events
| Date | Time | Event |
| Jan. 13 | 5 p.m. | AFSCME Local 2234 Meeting 103 Academic Forum |
| Jan. 15 | 10 a.m. | WORKS Training |
| Jan. 20 | -- | Martin Luther King Jr. Day University Closed |
| Jan. 21 | 9 a.m. | Assessment Day 250 MSU |
Athletics
| Date | Time | Event |
| Jan. 13 | 3 p.m. | Women's Basketball vs. Mansfield Keystone Arena (Watch | Stats) |
| Jan. 13 | 5 p.m. | Men's Basketball vs. Mansfield Keystone Arena (Watch | Stats) |
| Jan. 15 | 5:30 p.m. | Women's Basketball vs. Bloomsburg Keystone Arena (Watch | Stats) |
| Jan. 15 | 7:30 p.m. | Men's Basketball vs. Bloomsburg Keystone Arena (Watch | Stats) |
Accommodations
Persons with a disability, and who require accommodation, should notify the Disability Services Office two weeks prior to the event at 610-683-4108 or email DSO@kutztown.edu, TDD number: 610-683-4499, in order to discuss accommodations. Every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations. Please note: Kutztown University does not provide wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
Non-Discrimination Statement
Kutztown University does not discriminate in employment or educational opportunities on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status. To discuss a complaint of discrimination, please contact the Office of Social Equity, Old Main A-Wing, Room 02, by phone at 610-683-4700 or by email at pena@kutztown.edu. Pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Kutztown University does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, including admissions and employment. Any inquiries regarding the application of Title IX at Kutztown University may be made to Bradley Davis, the university’s Title IX coordinator, located in Old Main A-Wing, Room 02A, by phone at 610-683-4782 or by email at titleix@kutztown.edu. You may also contact the Office for Civil Rights located in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Bldg., 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-1100, by phone at 800-421-3481 (TDD: 800-877-8339), by fax at 202-453-6012, or by email at OCR@ed.gov.