Keeping your bird feeders clean

bird feeders

Diseases that affect garden birds are spread when feeding sites are contaminated with the droppings or saliva of infected birds. The risk increases when many birds feed at the same places day after day for long periods. To minimise the risks of disease:

  • Use several feeding sites around the garden to reduce bird numbers at any one place
  • Rotate between feeding sites, so not all are in constant use
  • Only fill up feeders with as much food as the birds take. Don't leave food hanging around in feeders for days to go mouldy
  • Clear up any food that is left under feeders at the end of the day
  • Clean feeders/feeding sites regularly using warm soapy water or 5% disinfectant, especially in the months between January and May. Make sure to rinse any disinfectant off thoroughly and always allow feeders to air-dry completely before adding food
  • Maintain careful personal hygiene. Brushes and equipment used to clean feeders, tables and baths shouldn’t be used for other purposes. Rubber gloves should be worn and hands washed afterwards

Posted in: Birds on 01 June 2015


Back to the in your garden homepage

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1781274266.18910 [905] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1781274266.21590.0268Matched route: discover/in-your-garden/article/[i:id]
1781274266.2160.0001Server address: 216.73.216.192
1781274266.2160Using master page: /templates/pages/in-your-garden/post.php
1781274266.2160Page arguments: 
Array
(
    [0] => /discover/in-your-garden/article/103
    [id] => 103
    [1] => 103
)
1781274266.21620.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.2170.0008 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1781274266.21880.0018 [1] SELECT locationID FROM swt_shop_tax_locations WHERE locationIsHome=1 LIMIT 1
1781274266.21940.0006INSERT INTO swt_shop_cart(memberID,locationID,currencyID,cartPricing,cartProperties) VALUES(NULL,'1',47,'standard','[]')
1781274266.22180.0024 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=21799152
1781274266.22240.0006 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=21799152
1781274266.22290.0006 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-06-12 14:24:00' AND saleTo>'2026-06-12 14:24:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1781274266.22370.0008 [1] SELECT collectionID, collectionTemplate FROM swt_collections WHERE collectionKey='Wildcall'
1781274266.22420.0005 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=103)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781274266.2290.0048Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1781274266.22910.0001 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1781274266.22920.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1781274266.22930Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1781274266.22930Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781274266.22930Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1781274266.22940Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1781274266.22940Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1781274266.22940Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1781274266.22940Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781274266.22950Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1781274266.22950Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1781274266.22950Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1781274266.22960.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1781274266.22970.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.22970.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.22980.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781274266.22980Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.22990.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781274266.22990Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.230Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.230 [2] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.23310.0031 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781274266.2360.0029 [162] SELECT catID, catPath FROM swt_categories
1781274266.23710.0011 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1781274266.23840.0013Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1781274266.23860.0002 [nil] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/discover/in-your-garden/article' OR regionPage='*')
1781274266.23950.0009No matching content regions found. Check region name (Banner image) and page path options.
1781274266.23950 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE idx.regionID IS NULL AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781274266.24040.0008 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781274266.24320.0028 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.24370.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781274266.24560.0019Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1781274266.24570 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.24620.0006 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.24650.0003 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.25110.0046 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.25230.0012 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.25290.0006 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1781274266.25510.0022 [0] SELECT setID FROM swt_category_sets WHERE setSlug='' LIMIT 1
1781274266.25570.0006 [1] SELECT main.* FROM swt_categories main WHERE 1=1 AND (catPath='wildcall/birds/') ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781274266.25640.0007 [1] Using template: /templates/categories/wildcall_banner.html
1781274266.25840.0021 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=5) AND ((idx.indexKey='_id' AND idx.indexValue=103)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1781274266.26160.0032Using template: /templates/content/wildcall.html
1781274266.26170.0001 [1] Using sub-template: /templates/content/mixed_content.html
1781274266.26180.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/text_block.html
1781274266.26180Using sub-template: /templates/content/thumbnails.html
1781274266.26190.0001Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781274266.26190Using sub-template: /templates/content/gallery.html
1781274266.26190Using sub-template: /templates/content/video.html
1781274266.2620Using sub-template: /templates/content/ask_inline.html
1781274266.2620Using sub-template: /templates/content/legacy_request_form.html
1781274266.2620Using sub-template: /templates/content/image.html
1781274266.2620Using sub-template: /templates/content/code_block.html
1781274266.26210Using sub-template: /templates/content/customisable_donate_form.html
1781274266.26210Using sub-template: /templates/content/contact_form.html
1781274266.26220.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/details.html
1781274266.26220Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.26230Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.26230.0001Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781274266.26240Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.26240Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_address.html
1781274266.26250Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.26250Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_personal_details.html
1781274266.26250 [2] Using sub-template: /templates/forms/_data_protection.html
1781274266.26520.0027 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_categories ORDER BY catTreePosition ASC
1781274266.2680.0028 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1781274266.26870.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1781274266.26930.0006 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781274266.27140.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.27180.0004 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781274266.27370.0019 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781274266.27420.0005 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1781274266.27470.0005 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1781274266.27520.0006 [37] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781274266.27740.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.27790.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781274266.28060.0027 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781274266.28510.0044 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1781274266.28590.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1781274266.28640.0005 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781274266.28880.0024 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.28920.0004 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781274266.29150.0023 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781274266.29350.002 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1781274266.29410.0006 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1781274266.3020.0078 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1781274266.30460.0026 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/discover/in-your-garden/article' LIMIT 1
1781274266.3050.0005 [4] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-003-003-001-002', '000-003-003-001', '000-003-003', '000-003', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1781274266.30740.0024 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1781274266.3090.0016Request time: 0.121
1781274266.3090Process time: 0.1209
1781274266.30910Memory: 1.7866