Salmonella and Bird Feeders

Guest post from bird feeding expert, Anna Dissanayaka

From the CDC: Birds can carry germs like Salmonella while looking healthy and clean. However, there are reports of wild songbirds, such as pine siskins (small, streaked, yellow-tinged songbirds in the finch family) sick with the same strain of Salmonella that is making people sick in this outbreak. Salmonella germs can spread between species of birds, to pets, and to people. You can get sick when you touch your mouth with unwashed hands after touching wild birds, bird feeders or bird baths, or your pets that have contact with wild birds.  (For more information on human health, visit the CDC website.) 

In regards to the recent news about salmonella and feeder cleaning, we invited backyard bird feeding expert, Anna Dissanayaka to offer some guidance. 
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In some states people are advised to take down feeders. While it is not necessary to fully remove your feeders in Ohio right now, here are some precautions you can take:
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• Always wash your feeders thoroughly and regularly after handling bird feeders.
• Wash your feeder any time it appears dirty or gets food built up in the bottom. This not only prevents disease, but also illnesses from rancid or moldy food, and it prevents maggots and other larvae from living in the bottom of feeders. (I’ve seen it at my job WAY more often than I ever would have imagined.)
• For regular cleaning, I use hot water and dish soap. If it’s really bad, use baking soda and white vinegar and let it soak first. (But you should strive never to let feeders get that dirty!) 
• While it is safe to use 1 part bleach with 10 parts water and let it fully air dry before you put it back outside, I don’t recommend it. Birds’ lungs are far more sensitive than our own, and it’s just not necessary. It also will deteriorate your feeder faster over time, especially when combined with sunlight.
• Fully empty feeders before you refill them. Especially trays in this case, scrape out old food that could possibly have feces on it before you pour more on top.
• Regularly rake the mess under your feeders to prevent buildup, or better yet, use a no-mess blend. But don’t allow piles to accumulate under your feeders.
• Do not allow dogs to forage under feeders. Not only are they susceptible to salmonella, they could get a painful, expensive, and potentially fatal compacted bowel from ingesting shells of some seeds.
• And I repeat: Wash your hands after handling feeders.