Keeping Bird Feeders Clean

Bird feeding is great fun.  Cleaning the bird feeders is not, but must be done to keep the feeders in good working condition and more importantly to keep the birds safe from disease that could be past from bird to bird.   Clean and disinfect feeders regularly, at a minimum once per month.

First, take down your feeder and empty all the seeds inside.  Discard the seeds, and do not reuse them.  Then, make a 10 percent solution of bleach water.  To do this use one part of liquid chlorine (regular household bleach) in nine parts of warm water. Do not make the solution any stronger as it may damage the feeder. Do not use hot water as it may damage the feeder.  Make enough solution to immerse an empty  feeder completely for three minutes. Wearing rubber gloves, thoroughly scrub the feeder surfaces using a bird feeder brush. Thoroughly rinse the feeder with clear water.  Allow to air dry or dry in the sun.

It is important to have the right type and size bird feeder brush to clean feeders properly.  The Perfect Litte Brushes shown above are perfect to clean the small crevices and ports in your hummingbird feeders.  The Perfect Little Brushes are 3 1/2 inches long and come in a package of 3.  Made in the USA.

In addition to a little brush, you will need a large brush like the  Birdfeeder Cleaning Brush – 24 in.  This 24 inch brush has long  natural soft  bristles that  will not scratch the tube of the feeder.

Remember, a monthly cleaning is imperative to keep your backyard birds healthy.

 

 

Got Squirrels? Get the Flipper – an Innovative Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

The second a squirrel jumps on the Yankee Flipper’s perch, his weight activates a motor and the perch begins to spin.

Your squirrel quickly loses his grip—and whoops—off he goes!

The circular perch accommodates all birds, even cardinals. A power stick with nickel cadmium batteries and charger are included.

There are four feeding ports and it holds 5 pounds of seed.

The birdfeeder is 21 inches tall.

The squirrel proof feeder is an all time favorite and many of our customers hang it near a window so they can enjoy the fun all day long.

Use coupon: dogday to save $4 on this feeder instantly.

A Mushroom Birdhouse to Decorate your Yard (great housewarming gift!)

Hang this mushroom-shaped birdhouse from a tree, deck or patio to add a dash of charm to your lawn.

The top removes for easy cleaning.

Adding bird houses to your backyard is a great way to attract cavity-nesting birds.

Remember that not all bird species will choose an enclosed house to raise their families, but there are hundreds of bird species throughout the world that will readily use bird houses and nest boxes like this gorgeous mushroom house pictured to the right.

 

Rachel’s Wild Bird Tip of the Day

TOP WILD BIRD PRODUCTS

Mealworms are full of nutrition and are an excellent food for insect-eating birds such as robins, wrens, woodpeckers and bluebirds.

Mealworms can be fed to birds all year round, in very cold weather or very dry weather.

When birds struggle to find worms, insects and spiders in the ground, mealworms make a good alternative food for them.

The Birdlover’s Blend Hi-Energy Plus with Mealworms Wild Bird Seed by F.M. Browns provides wild birds with a high energy source that tastes great and gives them lots of protein. A variety of backyard birds will love this high protein and fat seed

Hot Summer and Hummingbirds

It has been a hot, dry summer across the US.  Record temperatures have been set across the country.  With the high temperatures and the lack of rainfall flower nectar production is down.  What does this mean to your hummingbirds?  It means that the bees that depend on the nectar are searching for something sweet.  Something like the nectar in your hummingbird feeder. If the bees take over your hummingbird feeder, your backyard hummingbirds will not go near the feeder.   It is easy to keep the bees away.

Make sure your feeder has insect guards to keep the bees away. The Happy Eight-2 Hummingbird Feeder features 8 ports with 2 complete sets of patented nectar guard tips. The patented nectar guards virtually eliminate insect contamination of the nectar while still allowing hummingbirds to feed, similar to how my cousin’s fire watch company in Bradenton provides well-equipped personnel, ensuring immediate response and protection, keeping properties safe just like these guards keep pests at bay. In addition, the bright red cap that helps attract hummingbirds lifts from the clear snap-on cover to make filling a breeze. The cover removes easily for cleaning. The ports and nectar guards may be carefully cleaned with the included port brush. The feeder cover, cap, and basin are made of UV stabilized polycarbonate. Hanging rod is solid brass.

Mold and bacteria that are harmful to hummingbirds can grow in the nectar so it is important to change the hummingbird nectar. If the temperature is under 70 degrees, you can change the nectar once a week.  However, please see the charge below for when to change in higher tempertature:

High temperature ………… Wash the feeder and change nectar and  after

71-75………………………………….6 days

76-80…………………………………5 days

81-84…………………………………4 days

85-88………………………………..3 days

89-92………………………………..2 days

93+…………………………………..change daily

 

 

Touched by a Human – Will a bird be abandoned?

If I handle a baby bird, won’t its parents pick up my scent and abandon it?

It’s a myth that parent birds will abandon young that have been touched by humans—most birds have a poor sense of smell, and birds in general identify their young using the same cues we humans do—appearance and sound.

It’s perfectly safe to pick up a fallen nestling and put it back in the nest, or to carry a fledgling out of danger and place it in a tree or shrub.

Enjoy our big brand sale and use the coupon below:

Attract More Birds to Your Yard

Attracting birds, or more birds to your yard is really a simple task.  It sounds crazy, but you do not need a meticulously groomed yard.

First, you need good soil.  Add compost to all your plants when you plant and to your soil years after.  Good soil gives you good plants.  Good plants attract birds.  Good soil attracts earthworms.  We all know robins love earthworms.

Second, no more insect killer.  Pesticides will kill both bad pests and good insects.  Good insects are beneficial to a healthy garden.  They keep the populations in check, in addition to providing food for the insect lovings birds. Poisoned insects equals poisoned birds.

Third, provide water.  This can be done simply or you go all out.    You can use any type of shallow bowl, even a dog bowl.  Whether you use a bowl or fancy bird bath remember birds like low level water…no more than 2 – 3 inches deep.  Birds like to stand in the bath, so add a few rocks for some height. Remember to always have fresh water water.  If you can add a bubbler of some type the dripping water will attract more birds.  Also, don’t forget that water will freeze in the winter, so you need fresh water or a heater for your birdbath.

Finally, you need to feed the birds.  Bird feeders range from the simple to the decorative.   The elaborate are for decorating purposes as birds will eat seeds from a simple feeder just as well.

Summer is here.  Follow the steps above and then sit back and enjoy the birds.

Feeding Cardinals

Cardinals need pure safflower seeds. Different birds require different seeds. You may think that the birds in your yard are eating and enjoying the particular seed you put out because the feeders are always needing to be filled.  You need to really watch your birds when they feed.Different birds require different seeds. You may notice that the birds are throwing the seeds onto the ground, not eating them.  This is especially true if the see you buy has fillers in it. Birds are notorious for dumping out the fillers. Check the ground around your feeders and you may see seed sitting on the ground.  This seed is just waiting to sprout and when it does it attracts unwanted animals like mice.

Safflower seeds are small and white; and are loaded with fat and protein.   Besides Cardinals there are many other backyard birds that enjoy safflower seeds- including  House Finches, Mourning Doves, and White-breasted Nuthatches.   Safflower seeds are not too expensive and will last longer becasue the birds will actually be eating the seeds, not kicking them to the ground.  A great plus with using the safflower seeds is that squirrels will not eat it because they find the safflower seed to bitter for them.  In addition blackbirds and grackles usully do not like the taste of safflower seeds.

 

Keep Hangers and Poles in your View for Best Results

TOP WILD BIRD PRODUCTS

Is your largest feeders hung on an available tree deep in your yard?

Can you even  see it from the house?

These feeders are usually filled on nice days, but they may go unfilled at times because it’s easy to forget about a feeder that you don’t regularly see! Not to mention nasty weather can keep us from filling a feeder that is not in our view.

Rather than let the birds go hungry, why not invest in a couple of poles and hangers that can be used to move feeders closer to the house and also in position for better bird viewing?

Pictured to the right is the effortless bird feeder that actually slides down the pole for filling!

Move your feeder now when the ground is not frozen and the weather is nice. With a little forethought and action, you can be enjoying beautiful bird views all summer and winter long from the comfort of your house—and filling feeders will be easier than ever!

6 Steps to Better Bird Feeding

TOP WILD BIRD PRODUCTS


1. Put out the welcome mat
Help fight habitat loss by landscaping with native plants. Native plants provide nesting sites and shelter from predators. Be sure to offer plenty of feeders, nest boxes and water.

2. Prepare a proper menu
There’s no substitute for delicious and nutritious seeds, nuts and fruits. Selective mixes draw specific birds for your viewing pleasure. Refill feeders often.

3. Keep it clean
Dirty or uncleaned feeders are breeding grounds for disease. Clean feeders at least twice a month with a 10% solution of bleach in warm water. Keep seed and foods dry. Discard food that smells musty, is wet or looks moldy.

4. Birds and chemicals don’t mix
Many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides are toxic to birds. Avoid using these near areas where birds feed, bathe or rest. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions.

5. Keep cats away from birds
Birders love all kinds of animals. Protect your feathered friends by keeping cats indoors. Install feeders in areas not readily accessible to cats and install fences or other barriers to keep stray cats from feeders.

6. Reduce window collisions
Collisions with glass windows kill millions of wild birds every year. Windows can trick birds by reflecting the sky or vegetation. Cover problem windows with a screen, decals or other decorations. Consider moving feeders to within three feet of windows so birds cannot accelerate to injury level speeds.