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Birdaday Field Notes

Feeder care reference

How to clean a bird feeder, step by step and by feeder type

Feeders bring birds close together, and that is how feeder diseases spread. Project FeederWatch says feeders, "especially improperly maintained feeders, can spread disease," and asks people to clean them regularly. The routine is short: take the feeder apart, scrub it, disinfect it in dilute bleach, rinse, dry, and tidy the ground below. This page sets out that method as the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project FeederWatch and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center describe it. It adds a schedule for each feeder type and explains what to do when sick birds turn up.

How often to clean

Step by step

  1. Put on gloves. The Pennsylvania Game Commission says people rarely catch salmonellosis from wild birds directly, and that the main risk is handling contaminated feeders. It recommends gloves and good personal hygiene.
  2. Empty the feeder and take it apart. Throw out old, wet or moldy food. FeederWatch warns that some molds create toxins harmful to birds.
  3. Scrub off every bit of debris with warm, soapy water, as the USGS bulletin advises. This step matters. A 2018 study summarized by FeederWatch found that feeders caked with debris held more Salmonella after cleaning than new feeders did, whatever method was used. Dirty feeders cleaned with soap and water alone still carried enough bacteria to pose a transmission risk.
  4. Disinfect. Soak the parts for 10 minutes in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Cornell says to use "no more than 1 part bleach to 9 parts water." The USGS calls this a 10% bleach solution. Cornell also lists a dishwasher on a hot setting, or soap and boiling water. FeederWatch mentions bleach alternatives such as diluted vinegar but notes that not all of them meet US or Canadian disinfectant standards. In the 2018 study, both methods that included a bleach soak beat soap and water alone.
  5. Rinse thoroughly to remove the bleach.
  6. Dry completely before refilling. Cornell, FeederWatch and the USGS all say this.
  7. Clean the ground underneath. Rake up hulls, droppings and spilled seed (Cornell, Audubon). In snow, Audubon suggests scraping off a few layers. FeederWatch also suggests moving feeders to different spots now and then so waste doesn't build up in one place.
  8. Wash your hands. For handling soiled materials, the USGS advises gloves and "thorough hand washing."
The bird feeder cleaning cycle in six stepsA loop of six numbered boxes joined by clockwise arrows: 1 take the feeder apart and empty old seed, 2 scrub off all debris, 3 soak for 10 minutes in one part bleach to nine parts water, 4 rinse thoroughly, 5 let it dry completely, 6 rake up spilled seed and droppings below, then refill. The centre reads: seed feeders about every two weeks, more often in heavy use, wet weather, when sick birds are seen or salmonella is reported locally.1Take apartempty old seed2Scruboff all debris3Soak 10 min1 bleach : 9 water4Rinsethoroughly5Drycompletely6Rake below,then refillSeed feeders: aboutevery 2 weeksmore often: heavy use, wet weather,sick birds or local salmonella
  1. Take the feeder apart and empty out old seed.
  2. Scrub off all debris with warm, soapy water.
  3. Soak for 10 minutes in 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
  4. Rinse thoroughly.
  5. Let every part dry completely.
  6. Rake up hulls and droppings below, then refill and rehang.
Cycle drawn for Birdaday Field Notes from the cleaning steps given by the Cornell Lab ("How to Clean Your Bird Feeder"), Project FeederWatch ("Feeding Birds") and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (Wildlife Health Bulletin 2009-01). The two-week interval applies to seed feeders; see the table below for other types. Not to scale.

Mixing the bleach solution

The ratio is by volume, so any measuring cup works. These amounts are the 1:9 ratio above, scaled:

Bleach Water Total solution
¼ cup 2¼ cups 2½ cups
½ cup 4½ cups 5 cups
1 cup 9 cups 10 cups (2½ quarts)

Cornell gives 1:9 as a maximum ("no more than"), so this is the strongest mix, not a minimum.

Schedule by feeder type

Feeder How often What to know Source
Tube About every 2 weeks; more often in heavy use or wet weather Pick tubes that come completely apart. They can go in a sink of diluted bleach or the dishwasher. Clear the dirt that builds up around the ports. Cornell; FeederWatch
Hopper Same as other seed feeders Hoppers shelter seed from the weather. FeederWatch asks people not to use feeders that can't be washed thoroughly, such as wooden ones. FeederWatch
Platform or tray Same as other seed feeders Choose a removable tray you can wash indoors, with plenty of drainage holes; a roof keeps seed dry. Consider retiring trays if a droppings-spread disease is suspected. FeederWatch
Nyjer (thistle) Same as other seed feeders Needs very small ports. FeederWatch suggests disposable "thistle" socks. FeederWatch
Suet Every week or two Wash in a sink or dishwasher. Keep the cage lid secured so animals can't get stuck. FeederWatch
Hummingbird Nectar every 3–5 days, more often in heat. Clean the feeder at least weekly (Cornell); FeederWatch suggests every couple of days. Hot water and a bottle brush, no soap. Dilute bleach is fine if you rinse well and air-dry. Full schedule in our hummingbird feeder guide. Cornell; FeederWatch
Birdbath Change water as often as possible; scrub about weekly Audubon cites the National Wildlife Health Center's nine-to-one water-to-bleach mix for birdbaths as well as feeders. FeederWatch; Audubon

Disease signs at the feeder

Treat these signs as a reason to act, not as a diagnosis. The USGS says there are "no definitive signs of salmonellosis in wild birds" and that confirmation needs a necropsy and bacterial culture.

Disease What you may see Notes from the sources
Salmonellosis Fluffed-up or thin birds, swollen eyelids, lethargy; birds easy to approach (FeederWatch). Ruffled feathers, droopy head, diarrhea, emaciation (USGS). Hits Pine Siskin, redpolls and American Goldfinch hard. Some carriers look healthy. Feeder die-offs often peak in late winter and spring (USGS).
House Finch eye disease (mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) Red, swollen, runny or crusty eyes; birds may stay on the ground under the feeder. Also recorded in American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak and Purple Finch. FeederWatch says it poses no known health threat to humans.
Avian pox Wart-like growths on bare skin around the eyes, base of the bill, legs and feet. Spreads by direct contact and contaminated surfaces such as feeders.
Avian influenza Signs vary by virus strain and bird species. FeederWatch notes that highly pathogenic strains can hit wild bird populations hard.

If you see sick birds

The first move is the same in every source: take the feeders down so the birds spread out. How long to leave them down differs:

Source How long feeders stay down
Project FeederWatch "A couple of weeks"
Pennsylvania Game Commission 2 to 3 weeks if an outbreak occurs
USGS National Wildlife Health Center (2009 bulletin) At least 2 to 4 weeks after an outbreak
  1. Take the feeders down for at least the period above.
  2. Clean the feeders and the ground while they are down, using the steps above.
  3. Don't treat birds yourself. FeederWatch says only veterinarians or federally licensed wildlife rehabilitators can legally treat wild birds, and it advises against adding medication to seed or birdbaths. For a bird that needs help, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator.
  4. Report die-offs to the right agency. The USGS National Wildlife Health Center does not take reports from the public. It asks private individuals to contact the state, federal or tribal natural resource agency for the area where the birds were found.
  5. Keep pets away from dead birds and contaminated material (USGS). In people, the USGS says Salmonella symptoms resemble food poisoning; seek medical care if you suspect an infection.
  6. When you restart, spread food across several feeders spaced apart. Audubon, citing the National Wildlife Health Center, says spreading food out gives sick birds fewer chances to contaminate others.

Cleaning checklist

Seed storage comes from the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the USGS, which both say to keep seed in containers rodents can't reach. For what to put back in the clean feeder, see the seed-by-species chart.

Sources