Don’t Forget To Keep Your Bird Bath Clean

BIRD baths are a great addition to any garden. They help provide a safe drinking spot for birds, as well as a clean bathing area.

Bathing, in particular, is very important to birds.

It keeps their feathers in good shape so they can use their powers of flight.

But did you know it’s vitally important to clean your bird bath at least once a fortnight?

Dirty water can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can spread diseases within local bird populations.

This includes a deadly disease called trichomonosis.

Trichomonosis is spread through food and water that is contaminated by freshly regurgitated saliva.

The more birds there are at a birdbath, and the less the bath is cleaned, the more likely it is that the disease will spread.

Greenfinch and chaffinch populations have been hit particularly hard, with devastating effect.

To help keep your local bird populations disease free, roll up your sleeves, pop on some rubber gloves, and let’s clean!

Firstly, remove any stones from the bottom of your bird bath.

Next, empty out the water. Remove any lingering debris, such as leaves or feathers.

Hose the bath down or tip clean water over it to remove any remaining dirt.

Next, disinfect your bird bath. I use 100 ml of white vinegar mixed with 900 ml of water.

Soap or washing-up liquid can strip the oils off bird feathers, whilst other chemicals can harm birds.

To use, pour the solution into the bird bath and give it a scrub, allowing it to soak for 15 minutes.

At this point, give any stones that you’ve removed from your bird bath a scrub in the solution, too.

To clean up, pour the solution down your drain.

Finally, thoroughly rinse the bath and stones with clean water.

Add your stones back in, and refill the bath with fresh clean water for the birds to enjoy safely. ■