SETTING A HEALTHY FEEDING TABLE FOR BACKYARD BIRDS - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service eight easy steps

Oct 6, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai

Guide for preventing and minimizing disease problems for backyard birds at feeders, based on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommendations. Emphasizes providing ample feeder space to reduce crowding and stress, cleaning feeders and feeder areas, disinfecting on a regular schedule, and discarding spoiled or moldy food while sanitizing storage containers. Covers preventing contamination by keeping rodents away and acting early, plus spreading the precautions to neighbors. Includes notes on chlamydiosis symptoms in House Finches and where to report findings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

SETTING A HEALTHY FEEDING TABLE FOR BACKYARD BIRDS

Eight easy steps to prevent disease at feeders

Chlamydiosis symptoms and reporting

Howard County Fall Count summary

HOward A Cbpsr of tbeNarylmdOnitbologiel Socicty SETTING A HEALTHY FEEDING TABLE FOR BACKYARD BIRDS You may have seen some of the numerous articles in the localnewspapers last spring,or heard about diseases runningthrough finch populations in the area. You have probablystocked up on seed at the recent club seed sale. A11 youneed now are some tips to help you set a healthy,cleantable to enjoy birds at your feeders as we move into winter.The U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service recommends the followingeight easy steps you can take to prevent or minimize diseaseproblems at feeders. ·Give them space -Provide ample feeder space.Crowding is a key factor in spreadingdisease.If birds have to jostle each other to reach the food,they are crowded.Crowdingalso creates stress among the birds which make them more vulnerable to disease. ·Clean up wastes -Keep the feeder area clean of waste food and droppings. ·Make feeders safe-Make sure your feeders have no sharp points or edges.Even sma11scratches and cuts allow bacteria and viruses to enter otherwise healthy birds. ·Keep feeders clean-Clean and disinfect feeders regularly.Use one part liquid chlorinehousehold bleach in nine parts of tepid water to disinfect. Make enough solution toimmerse an empty,cleaned feeder completely for two to three minutes.A1low to air dry.Once or twice a month should do,but weekly could help more if you notice sick birds atyour feeder. ·Use good food-Discard any food that smells musty,is wet,looks moldy or has fungusgrowing on it.Disinfect any storage container that holds spoiled food and the sooop usedto fil1 feeders from it. ·Prevent contamination-Keep rodents out of stored food.Mice can carry and spread samebird diseases without being affected themselves. ·Act early-Don't wait to act until you see sick or dead birds.With good preventionyou'11 seldom find sick or dead birds at your feeder. ·Spread the word-Encourage your neighbors who feed birds to follow the same precautions. Chlamydiosis,the disease frequent1y found among House Finches earlier this year,isrecognized by lethargy and swollen,runny or crusty eyes. If you find a bird at yourfeeder exhibiting these symptams,make sure you are following the steps above.Call theMaryland Department of Natural Resources at 410-974-3987 to report the finding. Shop the c1ub Bookstore for HolidayGifts for Your Favorite Birder! SUMARY OF THE FIRST ANNUAL HOWARD COUNTY FALL COUNT by Mike McClure and Chuck Stirrat The first Howard County Fall Count was conducted on September 17,1994,fram 4:00 AM unti¹ 7:30 PM.This was the first of what is expected to be a count held each year on the thirdSaturday of September,with a state-or nation-wide count expected to be organized nextyear.There were a total of 52 participants in 30 field parties.The totals for partymiles and hours are shown on the accompany ing tally sheet. For a first count the numberof participants and degree of county coverage was very good.A total of 133 species wereidentified(exceeding our expectations),and 26,651 individual birds were tallied.Theweather was warm and humid for mid-September,with temperatures ranging fram the low 60'sto a high in the upper 80's. The rain held off until around 6 PM just in time for thetally rally. The accompany ing tally sheet presents the count data for the county and the seven areasthat are now used for all three of the county counts(Spring,Fal1,and Winter).Theconfusing fall warblers were present in good numbers with 30 species of warbler identifiedincluding both Connecticut and Mourning.Other species of special note were 3 Olive-sidedFlycatchers,6 PhiladelphiaVireos,7.Pectoral Sandpipers,a Merlin,a Gray-cheeked Thrush,a Summer Tanager,and 2 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. The individual bird totals were dominated by the large number ofgu1ls counted at the Alpha Ridge Landfi11,including what seems tobe a very large number of Laughing Gulls(3500). Another largespecies count of note is the kettle of B

FAQs

What feeder-management steps help prevent disease among backyard birds?

Provide ample feeder space, keep the feeder area clean, ensure feeders are safe from sharp edges, clean and disinfect feeders regularly, and discard spoiled or moldy food.

How often should feeders be cleaned and disinfected?

Once or twice a month should do, but weekly could help more if sick birds are noticed at the feeder.

How is chlamydiosis recognized in House Finches, and what should be done?

Chlamydiosis is recognized by lethargy and swollen, runny or crusty eyes. Report findings to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at 410-974-3987.

Oct 6, 2026

Uploaded by Fahsai