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Don't kill Garden Birds with Kindness
Added: (Wed Feb 06 2008)
Be Careful where you stick your beak!
Bird feeding is a popular outdoor activity, allowing people to learn about nature while they enjoying helping wild birds. Winter bird feeding can allow birds to reproduce earlier in the year and to raise more chicks than they would without the additional food.
Bird feeding can expose visiting birds to disease risks if garden feeders are not properly looked after and bird lovers may be killing with their kindness.
There are four main diseases commonly associated with bird feeders:
Salmonellosis is the most common disease associated with bird feeders caused by the salmonella bacteria group. Once infected, birds will die quickly. The bacteria are transferred through droppings of infected birds.
Trichomoniasis is a parasite that affects only pigeons and doves. Birds drop contaminated food and water, which if consumed by other birds will spread the disease.
Aspergillosis is a fungus (mould) and grows on damp bird feed and debris below feeders.
Avian Pox is easily recognisable, characterised by wart-like growths on featherless surfaces of a bird’s face, wings, legs and feet.
During the winter months it is even more important to look after your bird feeders.
Other food sources may not be as available in the colder period so more birds rely on feeders for food supply.
Bird feed can become wet and mouldy after periods of rain. It is important that feeders are kept clean to reduce the risk of infection to visiting birds. Remember if you wouldn’t eat from it, we shouldn’t expect birds to!
Following the steps outlined below should help protect our birds.
• Clean and disinfect feeders regularly. This should be done once or twice a month, however if you notice sick birds at your feeder, weekly sterilisation may help. Use one part household bleach in nine parts tepid water to disinfect the feeder. The feeder should be fully immersed in the solution for 3 minutes and allowed to dry.
• Keep the feeder clean of old or mouldy food and droppings.
• Birds need a steady supply of water so keep bird baths topped up. Ensure that the water is regularly changed and that the baths themselves are also sterilised frequently.
• It is a good idea to change the location of the feeder regularly so that birds are not following the same routes to access the feeder. Diseases may spread if they perch in the same places all the time.
• Feeders must be safe for birds to visit. Sharp edges for example could cause cuts or scratches, allowing bacteria and viruses in.
• Try to ensure some shelter from predation, placing the feeder in the middle of an open garden for example, would render visiting birds vulnerable to predatory birds. Sticking to shrub/tree lines should offer more protection.
• Try to provide adequate space if you find your bird feeder is crowded. Over crowding is commonly associated with the spread of disease. Varying your feeding times and this might help reduce the numbers of birds visiting at any time.
• Encourage your neighbours to follow these precautions as birds move among feeders and can spread disease as they go. Limiting the spread of disease is far more effective where the whole community co-operates. Remember; Spread the word, save the birds!