Bird Feeding Tips
The Ohio Division of Wildlife has lifted its previous recommendation to stop feeding birds. However, caution and vigilance are always necessary to help prevent further spread of diseases at bird feeders.
Feeder Cleanliness
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Keep your feeders spaced out from one another to lessen the threat of disease transmission between the birds.
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Thoroughly scrub feeders at least once a week with a 10:1 ratio of water to bleach for disinfecting. Allow the feeder to dry thoroughly before refilling an clean out compacted seed and chafe regularly.
When to Feed
Bird feeders can be kept up through all seasons of the year.
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Keep feeders full on a regular basis to help maintain consistency with the birds that are visiting. (Feeders that remain empty for several days in a row are an unreliable source of food for the birds and so will be an unreliable source to attract birds.)
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Maintain feeders during times of winter snow, cold and ice, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon hours. (It's these times that birds will feed the heaviest in order to build or replenish critical fat reserves needed to make it through weather extremes.)
Cleaning your feeders of snow and ice with the same thoroughness as you do your sidewalk will do a tremendous favor to backyard birds. A fully stocked feeder is of no use to the birds if they cannot get to the food inside because of a layer of snow or ice.
