Keep bird feeders clean to prevent disease
MADISON – Wisconsin residents who enjoy feeding and observing winter birds are being reminded that bird feeding requires more attention than simply filling the backyard feeders every couple of days if you want to keep our wildlife healthy. Wildlife health experts recommend that feeders be disinfected regularly throughout the feeding season to clean out potential bird-killing microbes found around crowded feeding sites.
“The prevalence of Salmonella bacteria in wild birds is generally low,” say the health experts, “but individual birds may be carriers, excreting disease-causing bacteria from their digestive systems for weeks or months at a time and causing contamination of feeding sites.”
Regular disinfection of bird feeders is the best way to break the disease cycle. For birdwatchers interested in learning more, the February 2007 issue of Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine has detailed instructions and how-to tips for cleaning and sanitizing backyard feeders and protecting yourself in the process.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Businga, DNR wildlife health veterinary technician - (608) 221-5375
