A Chirp Off the Old Block

You would be wrong if you assumed that birds are not picky or don’t mind dirty bird feeders.
Cleaning your bird feeders not only looks better, but keeps birds visiting your feeders healthy.
Dirty feeders can transmit diseases from one bird to an entire flock.

Mold usually builds up on and around feeders after a while. This tends to come from an
accumulation of weathering, seeds, and hulls that build up over time. Also, bird droppings can
contribute to the spread of infectious bird diseases. Feeders should be cleaned once a month,
during times of heavy wet weather, reports of salmonella in the area, or if you start seeing sick
birds. To clean your feeder, break it down by taking it apart and clean in a dishwasher or by
hand. For dishwasher use Heavy duty wash with high heat. To hand wash, use soap with
boiling/hot water or 1 to 8 parts diluted bleach with water. After scrubbing parts, you can reach
make sure you wait until your feeder is clean and dry before refilling with food.

Check the ground around your feeders and make sure there is no buildup of seeds or mold their
either. You will want to clean up this area especially if you have outside pets to prevent them
from getting sick. Also, the accumulation of bird food around feeders could attract unwanted
rodents. Taking these simple steps a few times, a year will help keep wildlife safer and happier.
Also, different varieties of birds that once avoided the dirty food source will increase with a
cleaner one. If you enjoy watching birds like I do then you won’t mind taking the time to make
sure the birds in your area have a clean food source.

Happy Birding everyone!