Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
It's also important to keep the ground beneath your feeders raked and clean of old,
moldyseeds.Whenseedscollectonthegroundbeneathfeedersandstarttorot,birdsmay
pick them up in their mouths. Bacteria growing on rotten seeds may spread to clean seed.
Birds may get sick at one feeder and then spread their illnesses to other feeding stations
through their droppings.
Although it'spossible forbirds to become sick at feeders, Idon't want to overstate the
potential harm. Our children may be exposed to dangerous germs at school, but overall
the advantages far outweigh this small possibility, and we trust that conscientious parents
willkeepsickchildrenhometominimizethedanger.Ifthere'sariskofaseriousepidem-
ic, schools are closed. In the same way, the advantages of feeders usually outweigh the
dangers as long as we're proactive about cleanliness and quick to react when a sick bird
does show up.
SEE ALSO
:
chapter 3
for more on dealing with sick birds.
Q Can bird feeders give people diseases?
A
Public health departments don't consider bird feeding a risk to humans. The vast ma-
jority of bird diseases don't affect humans and the few that can, such as botulism and sal-
monella, are virtually never passed on to humans through contact with feeders. However,
you should take a few easy and common-sense steps to ensure that bird feeders are safe
for you and the birds.
Washing your hands after handling feeders and seeds is always prudent. You should
alsokeepfeedingstationscleanandraketheareabeneathfeeders.Because thebacterium
that causes botulism is found in soil regardless of the presence of bird feeders, it's also
prudent to wash hands after raking leaves or doing other yard work.
If you discover a sick bird in your yard or a bird that may have died of illness, close
down your feeding station for at least a couple of weeks to prevent disease from spread-
ing to other birds.
Q My landlord says he doesn't want any bird feeders in our apartment complex. He
claims that bird feeders attract pigeons, rats, and other vermin. Is this reasonable?
A
Pigeons, rats, mice, andother animals that associate with humans are always searching
for food resources, so if your feeders or spilled seed are accessible to them, they'll come.
Because rats and mice pose serious human health issues in urban areas and are difficult
to control, it's very important to be proactive.
