Bird Feeders Need Regular Maintenance

Thousands of Idahoans erect feeders to attract wild birds to their backyard. However, without proper maintenance, those same feeders can prove to be bird deathtraps. Probably the most important factor associated with healthy bird feeding is the regular (at least once each year) maintenance of the feeders themselves. Clean out each feeder and allow it to air dry, then scrub it with a water/Clorox mixture. The Clorox will effectively kill any disease present in the feeder. Allow the feeder to dry before putting it back in use. Spring is the perfect time for such maintenance as the feeders can then be stored until later in the fall. Song birds need no help during the spring and summer months as natural foods are in abundance. Postponing feeding until the fall will allow migrants to leave the area; feeding earlier may hold these migrants which might then die when winter arrives. Improperly maintained feeding stations can contract a variety of bird diseases. Once contracted, all are lethal to birds, making prevention a high priority. These diseases include salmonellosis, a group of bacterial diseases passed to healthy birds in food and water contaminated by bird droppings or by direct contact with infected birds; trichomoniasis, a parasitic disease stemming from contaminated food which causes sores in the mouth and throat; aspergillosis a disease associated with mold spores found on damp feed which causes bronchitis and/or pneumonia in birds and; avian pox which causes wart-like growths on the featherless parts of a bird's body when this virus is passed to healthy birds through direct contact with infected birds, contaminated food or by contaminated insects. Each of these diseases can easily and quickly infect a number of birds where the birds are concentrated around feeders. If you enjoy feeding birds, do your part to keep them healthy and well fed. Clean your feeders regularly.