Save the birds: Clean your feeders

Pine siskins and goldfinches have been showing up dead near bird feeders in North Carolina and several other states, probably due to an outbreak of Salmonella.
Reports of dead birds have been documented in Cherokee, Swain Clay, Jackson and Buncombe counties in western North Carolina, said Mike Carraway, a biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
A similar die off in April 2000 in North Carolina, also was due to Salmonellosis, according to lab tests.
The bacteria is spread at feeders by the droppings of infected birds. Because siskins tend to flock together, the bacteria can spread quickly.Tubular feeders can reduce transmission but birds can still become infected when they feed on seed contaminated by droppings on the ground.
Carraway makes these suggestions for reducing the spread of the disease.
1. Take feeders down for a week if you have found dead birds. Disinfect them before putting them back up.
2. Keep feeders clean. Bird feeders should be disinfected at least once a month under normal circumstances and once a week if sick or dead birds have been found. Disinfect feeders by complete immersion in a solution of one part liquid chlorine bleach in nine parts hot water for several minutes. Allow to air dry before putting feeders back up.
3. Keep the area around and under the feeder clean. Rake up excess spilled seed and when you clean feeders pour the left-over cleaning solution onto the spilled-seed areas.
4. Provide multiple feeding stations around the yard to disperse bird activity if possible. However, one feeder disinfected regularly is better than several feeders that are not cleaned regularly.
5. Move feeders periodically to reduce concentrations of droppings on the ground under feeders.
6. Always wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning feeders.