By: Karen Menard

It is very important to keep bird feeders clean throughout the season, especially as temperatures rise. Keep in mind that birds can become sick from ingesting mold and bacteria that commonly occurs on seed or droppings stuck in the bottom of feeders. Feeder cleaning should occur at least once every two weeks.

First, put on your gloves and scrub off all debris caked into cracks, crevices and feeder bases with a clean bottle brush or scrub brush. Carefully disassembling the feeder will make cleaning easier. Next, soak the feeder for at least 10 minutes in a diluted solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Another option is to soak the feeder for one hour in a solution containing equal parts white vinegar and hot water.  After soaking in either bleach or vinegar, be sure to rinse thoroughly. Don’t forget to wash and rinse your hands thoroughly, too.

Rake the ground at your feeding station to stop mold growth and deter predators. Also consider rearranging your feeder placement at times to limit build-up of seed or debris on the ground. Another option is to purchase “no waste” bird food; it’s sometimes a bit more expensive, but pays for itself in the long run. This mix contains seeds that a variety of birds will consume, limiting the waste of undesired types of seed often tossed on the ground by some species.

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Photo: Black-capped chickadee by Art Weber