Save a life; clean a feeder!
Precautions for the backyard bird-lover. Be sure to clean bird feeders regularly.
By now, you’ve probably heard the alarm sounded by Mass Wildlife earlier this month regarding backyard birds. In spring of this year, a strange, yet-unnamed disease began to spread among a few species of wild songbirds1. Researchers are working around the clock to determine the cause of the illness, but in the meantime it has cast a worrying shadow over our backyards.
While no cases have been reported in New England yet, state officials warn to take extra precautions2 regarding your feeders and birdbaths and to report any birds believed affected. If you see sick or dead birds in your yard that don’t have an apparent cause of death or are showing symptoms of the mystery disease, take pictures and submit them via Mass Wildlife’s online form here.
Many of us find so much joy and comfort in feeding the birds at this time of year. After the frenzy of the pandemic, we often turn to the natural world for solace from human affairs. Unfortunately, animals are just as susceptible to pathogens as we are, and unlike humans cannot protect themselves against diseases. While we may not be able to cure a sick bird, we can certainly take steps to prevent the spread of this mysterious illness.
How to clean your feeder
In wet weather or prolonged humidity, uneaten seeds can go bad faster than you’d expect. Be proactive: fill your feeders with only as much as the birds can eat in a week to prevent excess. If there are leftovers, resist the urge to scatter it around, as that will scatter any growing pathogens along with it. Put it in the trash when it comes time to empty.
Now, to clean. This process may seem messy and involved, but we recommend giving your bird feeder this treatment every two weeks, at least. When shopping for feeders, consider ones with easy-clean designs. Many have complex stands or compartments that can be difficult to get into. Some may require taking apart to clean properly. Ask our employees for advice on what feeders we think are easiest to maintain.The cleaning method we share here should be useful for any type of feeder.
You will need some sturdy vinyl gloves. Be aware, even if this particular unknown disease does not appear transmissible to humans, plenty of unsavory bird diseases very much are. Keep your hands clean through the whole affair.
Start off by disassembling any tops or bottoms and soaking the entire bird feeder in a large bucket of warm water to loosen any stuck bits or dirt. Discard the dirty water.
Take a coarse bristle brush and scrub the inside and outside of the feeder with a squirt of dish detergent or castile soap. An old toothbrush can come in handy for nooks and crannies. If the feeder has very small holes, such as for nyjer or other tiny seeds, use a pipe-cleaner or toothpick to swab them clean.
When you’re done scrubbing, give the feeder a thorough rinse to remove soap and remaining debris. Now, mix a disinfecting solution of one part bleach (not vinegar), and nine parts warm water.
Why not vinegar? Though vinegar is often touted as a safer and gentler disinfectant than bleach, it is not proven to rid surfaces of pathogens as effectively. You’re already putting in all this effort to clean your feeder; proper disinfectant makes the process worth it. When dealing with unknown, yet highly transmissible diseases, we recommend bleach as the better choice.
Make sure you mix the solution in a well-ventilated area and keep undiluted bleach away from children, pets, and bare skin. This solution can be stored for up to 24 hours and can be used to clean bird baths as well.
Submerge the feeder entirely in the bleach solution for at least 10 minutes before rinsing off with clean water.
The final step is important: let your feeder air-dry completely before refilling. Any excess moisture in the feeder is an opportunity for bacteria or mold spores to grow. An easy way to do this is hang the components up in a well-ventilated, sunny area where the water inside will evaporate. Make sure to do this before you reassemble the parts so you don’t trap any water in the corners.
Regular Bird Feeder Maintenance
After all that work, you’ll have a squeaky clean and sanitized bird feeder. But is it not enough to clean them biweekly and hope for the best?
Let’s face it: a lot of backyard feeders go for more than two weeks without being cleaned. Same goes for birdbaths. The process is fairly labor-intensive and takes a bit of time. And, if your feeder has built up a lot of waste, cleaning all that out becomes even more unpalatable. However a chore this might be, no one can deny the importance of keeping shared spaces safe.
If cleaning your feeder on a regular schedule isn’t feasible for you, consider feeding your backyard visitors in other ways, such as hanging suet balls or native vegetation that birds love to eat, such as blueberries and blackberries. The co-op has many options for your backyard that will save you cleaning a feeder and still allow you to feed the wildlife. Consider disposable nyjer socks or suet balls. Or, why don’t you give hummingbirds a try? Hummingbird feeders are easy to maintain, joyful to watch, and we have an array of styles to choose from.
If you’re concerned about contributing to the mystery disease and wish to retire your feeders and birdbaths until the danger has cleared, we have plenty of options for your backyard. Just because you’ve taken down your feeders and baths doesn't mean you can’t help birds in other ways.
What birds do need plenty of is safe shelter. Consider buying multiple birdhouses for your property as shelter for birds as they travel the area, and leaving some dead brush on the margins until wintertime as many like to nest in downed branches and trees. Instead of a bird bath, consider a running fountain or motorized water wiggler, to keep water fresh for thirsty beaks. And make an effort to go organic, cutting harmful insecticides out of your garden routine. For more advice on how to keep an organic garden, stop by the Co-Op for our personalized recommendations.
The Department of Wildlife has urged people to act responsibly. We all know how fast infection can spread if the right measures aren’t taken. We can take precautions that birds can’t. Let's work together to keep our human spaces safe for our animal neighbors.
Sources:
1: Sobey, Rick. “Mystery Bird Deaths on the East Coast: Which Birds Have Been Most Affected.” Boston Herald, Boston Herald, 16 July 2021, www.bostonherald.com/2021/07/15/mystery-bird-deaths-on-the-east-coast-which-birds-have-been-most-affected/.
2: Larson, Marion. “Advisory: Report Dead Birds and Remove Feeders.” Mass.gov, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, 14 July 2021 www.mass.gov/news/advisory-report-dead-birds-and-remove-feeders.