October/November is the best time to think about hygeine. Feeders
and nestboxes should be thoroughly cleaned and, if possible,
disinfected before the demands of winter.
Remove all debris thoroughly (remnants can can harbour fungus
and parasites) before any further treatment. Feeders made entirely
of metal can be cleaned by boiling if you wish to avoid disinfectant.
Plastic ones, of course, would probably melt. Plastic feeders
cost little so you may prefer simply to replace them rather
than cleaning. You can buy dedicated bird-safe disinfectant
but a weak solution of ordinary household bleach will also do
the job well - mix one part of bleach to 20 parts of water.
Wash the feeders thoroughly, rinse well and allow to dry completely
before putting them back out. You may also wish to spray the
disinfectant mix on the ground below your feeding station but
be sure to also hose down the area afterwards. If your garden
is big enough, consider moving your feeders to a new location
periodically.
Remember, some of the debris may contain material which is harmful
to humans as well as birds so be sure to thoroughly wash yourself
and your tools afterwards!
You should NOT keep your feeders 'topped up' - wait until they
are completely empty before refilling and then only add enough
to keep the birds happy for a day or two. This prevents food
becoming stale or mouldy.
Feeders
There is always debate on whether to feed birds all year round
or only during the winter season. There are valid points to
both points of view -
Those for all-year feeding say that birds tend to feed their
young on their natural food and only feed themselves on what
we put out. A well fed bird is more capable of feeding young
than a hungry one so increases survival prospects.
Tose against say It is better to leave them to forage for natural
food entirely.
There is no clear-cut answer so you must make your own choice.
In any event, the following points should be borne in mind -
• You should never refill a feeder before it is empty.
Stale food, especially nuts, can develop mould and become harmful.
• Clean your feeders whenever they become dirty - especially
if you adopt all-year feeding.
• Feeders should be located where birds can get a clear
view of any approaching predators but close enough to cover
for them to dive into.
• Try to rotate the position of feeders as this avoids
the build up of debris (which can harbour disease) on the ground
below where large numbers of birds may forage.
When buying feeders, choose what looks nice in your garden -
birds are only interested in the contents! All-metal ones are
easiest to keep clean, plastic one cheaper to replace, wooden
ones look nice but harder to maintain. One point to watch out
for, especially in wooden ones, is the filling hole - be sure
that it has something to cover the hole as there are often cases
of small birds going in through an open hole and not being able
to get out again!
Boxes
Birds will start looking for nest sites long before the start
of the breeding season so it is wise to have their accommodation
ready by the beginning of winter. Like feeders, locate nestboxes
where predators do not have easy access, birds can get a good
view of approach and somewhere to hide.
• When cleaning nestboxes, remove all material from previous
nests leaving the box as clean as possible. It is probably not
practical to try disinfecting them.
• A few wisps of dry, clean grass or straw placed in the
box afterwards may encourage birds to choose to use the box.
Buying guide is much as for feeders, choose what you like the
look of, bearing in mind the type of bird you want to attract
(location is more important than appearance). Be careful when
choosing from the many very attractive nestboxes on sale in
Garden Centres - many cannot be opened for inspection or cleaning.
We cannot recommend them at all. If in doubt, get advice from
the club.
