Blind. dying birds found in the Washington area.

[Catherine]

This is a real cause for concern. People in the Washington area are finding birds like Grackles and Blue Jays with swollen damaged eyes and neurological symptoms.
It is unclear what is killing the birds. It is possible that people are spraying pesticides because of the 17 year cicadas emergence.  Something is happening to cause the problem. Tests are being done, but the results are not in yet.

https://wjla.com/news/local/wildlife-exp...s-va-md-dc

If it is pesticides sprayed against cicadas it will continue to spread because the chemicals are in the ecosystem. More species will be impacted. It is a few dying birds now, but it could be much worse. The effects of any chemicals sprayed could take months for the full effects to be felt. It could even take years to work its way through the ecosystem.
If it is a virus, I think we all know how dangerous that could be. Whatever is happening, it could be the tip of the iceberg for a more serious problem.
I hope people are handling the injured birds carefully.

[Tobi]

I hope the cause is discovered quickly and something can be done about it.
There could also be possible water pollution. But it's wise to look at all angles until the cause is found. My inner feeling is that it's a toxin.

Poor birds. Yes, I hope they are being cared for well.

[Catherine]

It is most likely pesticides. People are still using them. The sight of a weed or an insect  really upsets some people. They want to control nature and have everything clean and tidy. The world is a free and wild place. Trying to control nature is actually killing it.