It’s a new year and we have a fast approaching Spring! But winter is not over and we still have a pretty large number of our winter migrant birds around, including White-crown Sparrows, House Finches and Lazuli Buntings, just to name a few that are here in the Patagonia area. I am sure many of you are acting as great winter hosts, helping out the migrants with mixed seed, water and even some fresh fruit slices to help them through the cold winter months. Despite the local hummingbird populations being considerably smaller this time of year, as most of them have headed south, many people in the surrounding area still are keeping those hummingbird feeders full for those diminutive birds as well.
First of all, on behalf of all our feathered friends, thank you for taking the time to help them out. I am sure if they could speak, your efforts would not go unnoticed. But, and there always seems to be a “but,” all those generous efforts come with a responsibility. Taking care of your various feeders requires more than just keeping them filled, you must also maintain the cleanliness of each of them. Depending on the type of feeders you are using, each style has its own particular requirements of care and cleaning.
This time of year, the most critically needed care is for our hummingbird feeders. Despite the cooler temperatures, feeders that have been left for extended periods of time with food in them can start to develop a black mold, caused by the breaking down of the sugar in the food mixture. This mold develops around the opening to the feeder as it remains the one location that is wet a lot from the birds feeding there. When this mold comes in contact with the hummingbird’s tongue, an infection starts, causing the bird’s tongue to swell, and in most cases, the bird will not be able to pull the tongue back into its mouth, and starvation results.
Here at the Paton Center for Hummingbirds, we prefer the saucer style of hummingbird feeder, due to the ease of cleaning. The large capacity glass and plastic feeders tend to be filled, and then left out until they are empty, which this time of year can be over a week or more. The best case practice is that the hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least every three days. If you are using those types of feeders, consider not filling them up to capacity, and then thoroughly cleaning them every two to four days.
Our seed feeders, which come in a huge variety of sizes and styles, do require a small bit of care. At least every ten days or so, they should be emptied and washed with a mild bleach solution, or warm soapy water using Dawn soap.
When all the birds have migrated into this area, there are times when you can get pretty large numbers of birds in a concentrated area. Any disease that might be carried by one of the birds can quickly be spread to others via contact with the feeders. Finch Disease (mycoplasmal conjunctivitis) and Avian Pox are the two most common diseases that our seed eating birds can contract. Regular maintenance of our feeders can make a huge difference in helping to stop the spread of both of these diseases.
Many of us find great joy in attracting these wild birds to our homes and yards. Let’s make sure they all stay healthy and happy while they are visiting the area!
Tom Brown is Site Manager at Paton Center for Hummingbirds.