Oh b***er we have Trichomonosis here

[AdrianH]

Just spent the morning dismantling and disinfecting all my feeders, poles, trays and baffles having seen 2 young Green Finches flopping around the lawn with what is undoubtedly Trichomonosis.

Neighbours have commented that small birds have stopped arriving at feeders this week, hopefully that is just the time of year and not a disaster caused by this disease .

[Billabong Karen]

Oh that's awful, I am sorry.

I must say I dont feed the birds at all during the late spring / summer months, and will only start feeding them again in late October. I live right by the edge of woods / farmland, and I think there is enough for them to eat naturally. I feed extensively in the winter, and keep my feeders as clean as possible (weekly cleaning). I do understand the wish/need to feed birds in more urban areas, but it does lead to hygiene problems, I think, especially during the warmer months.

Does anyone else have an opinion on this?

[actionfinch]

Sorry to hear also AdrianH , dread the time ( heavan forbid) if it came to our area/ garden.
I live near farmland ( well bout half a mile away) and have a small cospe next to my house, but never get great amount of birds, during all months...in fact as i type this the resident H sparrows of 7-8 are in the bush at the bottom.
I keep feeding all year,The birds are like pets to me , i have to feed the dog all the time, and will always carry bird feed for them.....Its there if they want it.

[Billabong Karen]

I know, and completely understand. I just wonder whether we might be doing more harm than good in some cases. I know my parents feed their garden birds all the year round, and seldom if ever seem to clean the feeders, despite my nagging... I am really the only one who does the clean up!

Mind you, they have cats too, so any poorly birds are probably cleaned up pretty sharpish.

I dread the day this horrid disease reaches us. Hopefully never.

[tigertom]

I have a good number of feeders in fact to many to go out all at once so as a feeder becomes empty its is replaced with a full one empty one is cleaned disinfected left to dry out then filleld ready to be put out when one becomes empty, always have 3 feeders full ready to go out as I have now and some in soak. I do feed all year but I cut down a lot as only get few goldfinchs and sparrows and resident blue and great tits in summer.
MIKE

[Billabong Karen]

Now THAT is a really sensible idea! Several feeders, so you can just switch them over whenever they are empty and clean the empty ones out! Thanks - that's a tip I will definitely use .

Just great the things you learn on this forum...

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Billabong Karen

........I must say I dont feed the birds at all during the late spring / summer months, and will only start feeding them again in late October. I live right by the edge of woods / farmland, and I think there is enough for them to eat naturally. I feed extensively in the winter, and keep my feeders as clean as possible (weekly cleaning). I do understand the wish/need to feed birds in more urban areas, but it does lead to hygiene problems, I think, especially during the warmer months.
.....

You have a very good point. Under natural circumstances most bird populations will disperse during the summer so that there is less chance of spreading diseases amongst them. By offering central, easily accessed food supplies we are encouraging spread of disease ... as well as making an easier target for cats!

[Paul mabbott]

Of course, the bigger problem is that now the disease is spreading over the rest of Europe - Fennoscandia especially; so this may become a global problem - with seriously mass extinctions?

[Hedera]

What's the best thing to disinfect feeders? I have used bleach, Milton and just hot soapy water so far.

[Pipa]

oh no, sorry to hear you have it in your area, best stop feeding them for a couple months i hope it doesn't get too bad, it must be awful to see the poor birds struggling and knowing there is nothing you can do for them,