Instructions for House Finch Disease Survey Participants

In order to participate in this survey, you must first sign up to get a Lab ID number. Our database cannot process entries unaccompanied by a Lab ID number. You can start recording your observations even before you receive your participant materials, and write your observations on the data-reporting forms once these have been mailed to you. After signing up:

1.   Watch the birds at your feeder(s) as often as you can, and record all your information in a notebook, or on tally forms that can be downloaded here.

• For each day you observe your feeder(s), record the date. If you do not see any diseased birds or even see no birds at all, this information is still important to us! The absence of diseased birds in a given area is essential information, and the the absence of House Finches or American Goldfinches provides information on how abundant these species are in your area. Record whether you see healthy House Finches and American Goldfinches.
• Record whether you see birds with eye infections ("sick" birds). Describe the appearance and behavior of these birds. If you see sick House Finches or American Goldfinches, record the highest number you observed at the same time. If you see birds of other species that are sick, record the name of the species.
• Note: This study is looking at conjunctivitis only. If the bird appears sick but does not show the clinical signs of avian conjunctivitis (i.e. eye infections), record it as "healthy." If you are unsure whether a bird has conjunctivitis, record it as "sick" and describe its appearance and behavior.

2.  Enter your data on the final paper data forms (the forms that were sent to you).

• Do not forget to fill out your participant information including name, address, state, ZIP/postal code, e-mail address, and ID number.
• Add comments about the appearance and behavior of the sick birds or any other relevant comments. You can do this on the back of the forms.

3.  Please continue monitoring the health of your neighborhood birds for as long as you can and request new paper data forms as needed.

4.  Submit your data by mailing them to the Lab. It is probably most economical to send in three months' worth of forms in a letter envelope. Forms can be folded to fit into a wide (#9 size) letter envelope. Send your data-reporting forms to:

House Finch Disease Survey
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850

To request more data forms or information call (607) 254-2469 or send e-mail.