On this page:
Feeder care
Avian predators
Window crashes
Cats |
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 Feeder care
Birds can become ill from leftover bits of seeds and hulls that become moldy, as well as from bird droppings that accumulate on feeder trays. Therefore, you should clean your feeders about once every two weeks, more often during times of heavy use. For best results wash your feeder thoroughly in soapy water, then soak or rinse it in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Dry the feeder thoroughly before refilling. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned everytime you refill the nectar, which should be every three to five days.
Also remember to rake the ground below your feeder to prevent accumulation of waste. Moldy or spoiled food is unhealthy not only for birds but for your outside pets. Bird food scattered on the ground also can attract rodents. Consider moving your feeders periodically to limit the accumulation of waste.
Avian Predators |
You can expect a visit from a hawk, usually a Sharp-shinned Hawk or a Cooper’s Hawk, at your feeder sometime. In many areas reports of these hawks have been on the rise in recent years. At first you will probably welcome the close-up view, but if your hawk stays around and scares your feeder birds away, what can you do? The best solution is to take your feeders down for a few days. The hawk will get hungry and move on. Be sure to provide cover in your yard where feeder birds can hide from bird-eating hawks. Brush piles and evergreen trees and shrubs can provide safe hiding places.
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Sharp-shinned Hawk
Photo by Jacob Gilliam,
Norwalk, Iowa |
Window crashes
Ornithologists estimate that millions of birds are killed each year by hitting windows. You can prevent many window strikes simply by breaking up the reflections that birds perceive as a pathway through your home. Some bird watchers have attached streamers or suction-cup feeders to their windows, crisscrossed branches within the window frames, or installed awnings or screens. |
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Hawk “silhouettes” fastened to the window often help, not because they look like hawks, but because they break up the problematic reflections. If you try these tricks and birds continue to strike a window, consider attaching netting to the outside of the window to buffer the impact. Deer netting (the kind used to keep deer from eating plants in your yard) works nicely. |
| Photo of bird impression left on window after a strike, by Jim Corbutt,
Albany, New York |
Window strike mortalities can also be reduced by moving your feeders to within 3 feet of the window or greater than 30 feet away. When feeders are close to a window, a bird leaving the feeder cannot gain enough momentum to do harm if it strikes the window. If feeders are more than 30 feet from a window, the birds are less likely to perceive windows as a pathway to other parts of your yard.
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Cats
Cats are the most numerous pet in North America. Unfortunately, they kill hundreds of millions of birds each year. Ground-feeding and ground-nesting birds and fledglings are at greatest risk. Feeder birds are also easy prey. |
| If you own a cat, we strongly recommend that you keep it indoors to reduce this needless loss. Your cat will benefit too; statistics show that indoor cats live longer, healthier lives. The American Bird Conservancy has created the Cats Indoors! Campaign to increase awareness of the problem. For more information, contact: American Bird Conservancy, Cats Indoors!, Third Floor, 1731 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009. Phone: (202) 234–7182. |
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Cats watch feeders from inside.
Photo by Carol Leathem,
Brookville, Pennsylvania |
BirdNotes
Download free Lab of Ornithology BirdNotes about bird feeding
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