Encyclopaedia of Birdcare

Cleaning

Birds are susceptible to diseases, so cleanliness is important around feeding stations and in nest boxes. About once a fortnight feeders, seed trays and bird tables should be treated with water containing washing-up liquid. Equipment with crannies in which food could collect, such as wooden bird tables, needs to be scrubbed regularly with dilute disinfectant. A special cleaning brush obtainable from Jacobi Jayne & Company is ideal for dealing with tubular feeders and is 6OOmm (2 feet) long with a stainless steel stem and soft natural bristles to avoid scratching. water dishes and bird baths also need cleaning from time to time, and the ground below a feeding station may become fouled with waste food and droppings, so that occasional shifting of the equipment is advantageous if possible. Used nest boxes contain parasites which will infect future occupants, so they should be cleaned out after the breeding season, unless any birds are roosting in them. Finally, hands should always be properly washed after contact with equipment used by birds.

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