Wildlife

Wild Bird Garden Feeder Hygiene

Garden bird feeders can spread disease if poorly maintained, with Trichomonosis and Salmonella causing population-level impacts on common species.

Key Facts

Trichomonosis has caused major declines in greenfinch and chaffinch populations in the UK
The parasite spreads via contaminated food and water at shared feeders
Feeders should be cleaned with hot soapy water and disinfected weekly
Positioning feeders away from where birds perch reduces faecal contamination
Rotating feeder positions helps prevent ground contamination beneath feeders

Welfare Considerations

Disease spread through feeders causes a prolonged, painful death. Proper feeder hygiene prevents preventable suffering for millions of garden birds.

What You Can Do

Clean and disinfect feeders at least weekly
Remove uneaten food regularly to prevent mould and disease
Report sick birds to wildlife disease monitoring schemes
Position feeders to minimise contamination and cat predation risk