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Tips for Safely Feeding Backyard Birds |
TIPS FOR FEEDING BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD
Here are some tips for safely attracting birds to your back yard:
Store birdseed in a clean, dry place. (In humid weather seed can absorb moisture and develop mold.)
Sweep up or turn under discarded hulls and droppings below feeders.
If you use quail blocks, put them on a platform so that mammals such as squirrels cannot easily get to them, and shelter them so they don't get wet.
Clean seed feeders monthly with a nine-to-one bleach solution to kill disease pathogens. (A dilute vinegar solution can be used on wood or other surfaces that bleach might fade.)
Clean birdbaths with a nine-to-one bleach solution and change the water every two to three days to kill disease pathogens. (This also prevents mosquito reproduction.)
Change and clean hummingbird feeders frequently (every other day in hot weather). Scrub and rinse feeders, and let them air dry before refilling. (In addition, use only sugar water solutions—no food coloring and no honey—at a ratio of four parts water to one part sugar.)
-Tuscan Audubon
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