Deadly bacteria killing blue tits prompts call to stop feeding wild birds

The Finnish Food Authority has urged the public to stop feeding wild birds this spring after a bacterial outbreak was linked to a surge in deaths among blue tits and one great tit in southwestern Finland.

Laboratory tests confirmed that the birds, found in the regions of Southwest Finland, Satakunta, and Tavastia, died from pneumonia caused by the Suttonella ornithocola bacterium. Most reports of sick or dead birds have come from areas southwest of the Kouvola–Vaasa line, with cases concentrated in April.

To limit further spread, the agency recommends halting bird feeding to reduce unnecessary contact between birds. While the bacterium is not known to pose a health risk to humans, the authority advises against handling dead birds with bare hands.

Similar increased mortality among blue tits has also been observed in Sweden this spring.