Heavy rain can put your bird feeder at a higher risk of spreading disease – this is the fix wildlife experts recommend to keep food dry and birds safe
Heavy rain means we need to be more diligent about feeding garden birds
For the past week or so, the heavens have opened and not really stopped. As a result, wildlife experts have issued a fresh warning on how to feed birds in wet weather, warning that wet bird feed can cause the spread of disease.
If you have a wildlife garden or love attracting birds to your garden, there’s no doubt you have a bird feeder. But when the rain starts pouring, it’s really important to keep your feed dry - as wet bird feed is a breeding ground for mould and bacteria.
While opting for a bird feeder with a rain cover (£29.99, Amazon) or a baffle (£24.99, Amazon) is one of the easiest ways to keep your bird food dry, here are a few more expert tips for healthy, happy birds.
The problem with wet bird feed
Following the spread of the deadly finch disease trichomonosis, the RSPB has advised against feeding birds seeds during summer. Instead, bird-lovers have been told to leave out suet (£15, Amazon) and mealworms (£9.99, Amazon) to provide birds with the energy they need, which doesn’t risk the same spread of disease as seeds do.
However, if you are feeding birds mealworms and suet/ fat balls, it’s still important that this doesn’t get wet. When wet, disease spreads more easily.
‘Wet weather can cause a few challenges to crop up, for both the hungry birds and you doing the feeding. The biggest and most obvious is that bird food can quickly become damp, causing it to spoil and develop mould. Wet seed is also far less appealing to birds, and if left for long periods of time, it can quickly become unsafe,’ explains James Ewens, wildlife expert at Green Feathers.
‘Periods of heavy rain can also wash food out of feeders, while waterlogged ground feeding areas can quickly become muddy and contaminated with droppings. This can increase the risk of disease spreading between birds, especially if you have a popular feeding spot where large numbers gather to feed.’
Should you feed birds in wet weather?
Just because the weather is poor, however, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t feed birds when it is wet and cold. When it’s wet and cold, birds can benefit from the extra calories. Now, it is also nesting season, the time of year when birds raise their young, so as well as providing nesting materials, you should be offering extra calories when conditions are poor.
But if feeding birds, you will need to be more diligent, and this includes cleaning your bird feeder every couple of days to maintain a good standard of hygiene.
‘As soon as you notice it’s overly wet, check the food inside immediately if you’re able to. Any damp seed, showing signs of mould or becoming clumped together, should be removed and thrown away. Then you should empty the feed fully, clean thoroughly and allow it to completely dry before being filled with fresh food,’ says James.
‘Make sure you perform regular checks during periods of prolonged rain, as the moisture can build up surprisingly quickly. Keeping your feeders clean and dry keeps food safe and reduces the risk of disease among your garden visitors.’
The best bird feeder to use in wet weather
During periods of rain, it can be helpful to use a feeder with a built-in weather guard or to place your feeder in a sheltered area of your garden.
‘Feeders that have built-in weather guards or protective roofs can keep the food you leave out drier for longer. Tube feeders are always a strong choice because the seed is stored safely inside the feeder rather than being exposed to the elements,’ says James.
'A slight change in your feeder positioning can also help, such as moving them to a sheltered area. Locations that are protected from strong wind and rain can help make visiting birds more comfortable during feeding, and help reduce food waste.’
Alternatively, you can grow bird-feeding plants, which, once established, allow birds to feed in their natural environment, with little interference from you.
When it is raining, you need to pay more attention to how you feed your garden birds. Keep your feeder clean, hang it in a sheltered area and invest in a baffle to keep it dry.
