How often do you need to clean your bird feeders during the winter?

Keeping bird feeders and feeding areas clean has always been important, but with the continued threat from Trichomonosis – which mainly affects finches – and other diseases, it has taken on a whole new level of importance. There is also the relatively new disease to our shores called Usutu virus, with this mainly affecting Blackbirds. Avian flu has also been an issue, but thankfully this very rarely affects garden birds – it’s much more wildfowl and seabirds. That said, it can still be possible for it to be transmitted from bird feeders and tables if they’re not kept clean.

Other notable diseases are E.coli and Salmonella, both of which can occur as a result of rotting bird food, dirty feeders and bird tables, and contaminated areas such as the ground below feeding stations.

Why damp conditions are more of an issue for spreading disease

Taking Trichomonosis as the best example because it’s the most prevalent of the current fatal diseases, the single cell protozoan parasite which causes it (Trichomonas gallinae) is only able to survive in dry and exposed conditions for perhaps a few hours, whereas in damp or very wet clumps of food and waste such as seed husks, it might survive for up to 24 hours. This therefore increases the risk of transmission if an infected bird drops food which contains the parasite – which they’re very likely to do because the disease prevents the bird from swallowing (hence why it’s fatal) – and is then picked up by another bird and eaten.

The other issue which occurs in damp conditions, is that seed in feeders can quickly clump together and stop flowing down in the feeder, and then begins to go mouldy. So close attention needs to be paid whenever you top-up the feeder, and even foods like peanuts and suet balls can also suffer in bad weather. It’s never worth the risk to your birds, so if the food doesn’t look as good as when you first put it in the feeder, then remove and dispose of it.

Make cleaning feeders as much a routine as filling them

In much the same way as we have routines for topping up our feeding stations, it’s absolutely essential to get into a similar routine when it comes to cleaning feeders – and especially seed feeders because of the perches – and keeping all feeding areas clear of waste. The question as to how often we should clean can often result in a range of answers, and can vary with the food on offer, the number of birds visiting, plus the weather conditions at the time. However, as a general rule then at least once a week is good practice, with this being easily achievable if you always have a clean replacement feeder to-hand. So in other words, remove the feeder which needs cleaning, then replace it immediately with the clean one you’ve already cleaned from the week before.

Unless you can clean them almost daily, then avoid bird tables and feeders with flat surfaces

Bird tables and feeders with flat surfaces such as hanging trays, pose far more of a risk for disease transmission because, unlike a hanging seed feeder, waste and also bird droppings remain with uneaten food. If you’re in a position to thoroughly clean your bird table or other feeder with a flat surface on a daily basis, then it’s generally okay to continue using it. But if no, then don’t use at all and instead consider scattering food directly on the ground (which benefits ground-feeding species like Blackbird) over a wide area – but only in quantities that will be eaten in any given day.

The other issue with wooden bird tables is that it’s generally impossible to get them dry in the winter after thoroughly cleaning them – and it’s essential they are dried to minimise the risk of disease remaining (especially Trichomonosis).

How to clean bird feeders and what to use

Firstly and for your own safety, it’s always a good idea to wear rubber gloves or disposable gloves for cleaning feeders. Hot soapy water and an appropriate brush is then what you need, and if the feeder design allows it then fully dismantle so that you can clean it properly. You can also go a step further and use Ark Klens Feeder Disinfectant which is veterinary-recommended disinfectant solution and is ideal for cleaning bird feeders, bird baths, and bird tables. In all cases, rinse with clean water and then dry the feeder.

For more details on cleaning feeders and to watch a useful video, then have a look here.

Clear the ground below feeders and move feeders around frequently

The ground below feeders can often be more of a risk to birds, because this is where infected food, waste such as husks and also droppings, can build up. So keep such areas as clean as you can by using a rake and/or shovel, plus move your feeders or feedings station to a different place in your garden – ideally at least once week if it’s on a lawn (hard surfaces such as patios are less of an issue because cleaning them is obviously much easier).

A way that you can minimise waste below feeders, is to only use husk free seed such as Sunflower Hearts and husk-free seed mixes like our popular Won’t Grow No Mess Bird Seed Mix.

Keeping your garden birds safe now and in future winters

Although here in the UK we ‘enjoy’ (we use the term loosely) a temperate climate throughout the year, damp conditions obviously increase in the winter. And it is thought that our winters could be between 1º and 4.5ºC warmer on average over the coming years due to the changes in our climate. As a result, we are likely to see warmer, wetter winters; the ideal breeding ground for diseases, bacteria and fungi. But with good hygiene practices and vigilance, our garden birds can be kept both healthy and well-fed.