Bird Feeders and Bird Diseases

Lots of us either due to our love for birds or just for the enjoyment of watching these wild creatures have bird feeders in our gardens. Bird feeders are a great help in most seasons of the year. They not only supply the all important energy, protein and vitamins throughout bad times where the food is scarce or not found in the habitat. They also help parents supplementing the diet of hungry chicks giving them the edge to cope with those future leaner times.

I believe that anyone that feeds birds in their garden only wishes for their success and wellbeing, but sometimes the produce of our affection may become the birds worst nightmare. Bird feeders are used by a variety of species (some welcome and some not so much by some people). This fact together with the exposure to the elements, especially the humidity and dampness can lead to some potential disastrous situations. Wild birds carry diseases, some more severe than others. These diseases can be left in our bird feeders by a sick or healthy but carrier bird with catastrophic consequences for the others. The main 4 diseases that can be found on bird feeders are: Trichomoniasis, Salmonellosis, Aspergillosis and Avian pox. All these diseases can lead to death.

The casualties can sometimes go unnoticed (the bird that never came back) and can sometimes be very visible. I have been confronted with heart broken garden owners and bird lovers that have found 14+ dead birds in their garden around the feeders. (Definitely not a pleasant site for any animal or nature lover). Another not so sentimental point is that we cannot afford to commit such mistakes in birds like the house sparrow that already are in steep decline. The range of problems caused by dirty and contaminated feeders does not end here: these diseased birds become easy prey which not only ends their life but also passes on the diseases further up the feed chain. Raptors like the sparrowhawk, the red kite or the buzzard can get most of these diseases, and some strains of Salmonella sp. are also contagious and lethal if not medically treated to other mammals either wild or our pets and even to ourselves.

In the wild only on particular occasions so many birds feed together. Even one of the the champion of congregation, the starling, that forms flocks that marvel us in their aerial flight formations of hundreds of thousands of birds, splits in small flocks during the day when feeding. And by doing so reduces the chances of food contamination and assures survival.

Regularly cleaning your bird feeders is an easy, cheap and effective way of reducing the chances of spreading infectious diseases. Avoid overcrowding of and on feeders. Don’t allow mould to form inside the feeders. Use good quality food. Make sure the feeder itself is not hazardous for the birds. Clean the areas beneath the feeders as they provide seeds for ground feeding birds like the dunnock or the blackbird. Clean and disinfect regularly the feeders. All you’ll need is some soap and warm water and some bleach. Dilute 1 part bleach to 10 parts water for disinfection (after cleaning with soap and warm water first). Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly in the end and make sure the feeder is dry before putting any food inside as moist will soon enough turn a clean feeder into a mouldy one. As an average once or twice monthly should be enough to keep your feeders clean but always keep a close eye for there are situations where cleaning may be need more often (such as bird baths on warm spells). There are also some good bird feeder disinfectants on sale in most garden shops.

Find below some links for some more information on these diseases and measures to avoid them.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/index.asp

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/pamphlets/coping_with_birdfeeder_diseases_pamplet.pdf

http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/feed/BirdFoodRecallFAQ.htm

http://www.bto.org/gbw/PDFs/FEEDINGGARDENBIRDS.pdf

http://www.ufaw.org.uk/gbhi.php

If you find any sick or injured wild bird or animal please contact the RSPCA or the respective authorities if you’re not in the UK.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/Utility/Contact

And above all enjoy your bird watching…