CLEAN THAT BIRDFEEDER

Photo supplied by Scot Tilley

Many people in Britain regularly feed birds during the winter and spring, with bird feeders, tables and food being big-selling items at garden centres. All this is great news for birds, leading to much improved survival rates for small hedgerow and woodland species during bad weather and the breeding season.

But there has been a significant rise in bird diseases over recent years, especially in avian pox, which has spread rapidly since its first appearance in the UK about 5 years ago. Research suggests that this spread is facilitated by birds gathering at ‘feeding stations’, such as bird tables, bird feeders and bird baths. Here saliva, droppings and feathers from infected birds can remain on the feeders and pass on the infection to later visitors. Please help reduce the spread of bird diseases by regularly and thoroughly cleaning the bird feeders, bird tables and bird baths in your garden.

Before you put out fresh bird food: wash the feeder, rinse it with clean water
and dry it (drying the feeder stops the fresh food getting damp and going
mouldy).