By Staff
With fall bearing down on us business at the bird feeders will be picking up. As Keepers Of The Chow it's our responsibility to ensure that we are providing our feathered friends with welcome sustenance instead of luring them into a death trap. I'm referring to feeder related diseases. Moldy seeds and leftovers, accumulated droppings and various bacteria and organisms lurking on feeder surfaces can all be deadly. As with any restaurant the food must be properly cared for and the facility kept clean and neat. We'll get to feeder maintenance in a bit but let's first look at the common feeder related diseases, their causes and symptoms.
You may remember a number of years ago when an outbreak of eye conjunctivitis severely decimated finch and sparrow populations throughout the Eastern United States. Most affected were house finches but goldfinches, English sparrows, evening grosbeaks and purple finches also suffered. The enormity of this pandemic was largely due to bird feeders. Conjunctivitis is caused by a bacterium that is spread by direct contact between birds drawn together at feeders and, worse yet, it accumulates on feeder surfaces where it is picked up by all that come in contact with it. Its symptoms are red, swollen, runny, crusty eyes. The bird becomes blind and dies from starvation, exposure or predation.
Another very common and deadly feeder bacterium is salmonella. This is the same food poisoning illness we humans so much dread. It's most commonly caused by fecal matter on the feeder, in the food or in bird bath water. It can also be spread by direct contact with a contaminated bird. Salmonellosis symptoms aren't always obvious but a bird may appear thin, lethargic, fluffed up and have swollen eye lids.
Avian pox is a virus often lurking at feeders that affects most species of birds. There are two strains. The more common one causes wart like growths on bare areas such as the base of the beak, around the eyes and on the legs and feet. The other one causes internal growths on the mouth, throat and lungs, impairing breathing. These poxes are spread both by direct contact with infected birds and from contaminated feeder surfaces. Trichomoniasis is a microscopic organism usually found in doves and pigeons and the raptors that prey on them. It causes raised lesions in the mouth, throat and crop sometimes leaving the bird unable to close its mouth.
Aspergillosis ends up on our most deadly list. This is a mold that forms on bird food, most commonly corn and peanuts. It affects the respiratory system and causes a bird to have difficulty breathing and walking and to become emaciated. It is spread by oral contamination of feeder food and bird bath water.
To ensure you're feeders aren't a death trap clean them every two weeks (every week during heavy use times). Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned every three to five days. Clean feeders outdoors in a bucket so you don't risk introducing disease into the household. Wash with warm, soapy water followed by a soaking rinse with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. To prevent mold store food in a dry place and discard any food that becomes damp or wet. It's equally important to regularly clean the waste that accumulates under the feeder. These spoiled, moldy remains can sicken pets as well as birds and attract rodents. If you notice birds at your feeder that in any way appear unhealthy take down the feeder for at least two weeks. Sick birds are attracted to easy feeder food and this causes them to disperse.
One other bird saving tip. A significant cause of mortality is crashing into windows. Breaking up the reflection with streamers or stickers attached to the window can help but is unsightly. Some folks put netting (like deer netting for garden plants) outside the glass as a cushion. I think a better solution is to simply locate the feeder no more than three feet from the window so the birds don't gain sufficient momentum to seriously hurt themselves. There will be some snot smears on the glass but that's preferable to a bunch of doo-dads hanging all over. Carpe diem.