Garden FAQs
Will feeding birds year round keep them from migrating?
There is an old wives tale that says you should stop putting seed into bird feeders after Labor Day or it will affect their migration cycles. While the search for food is one reason birds migrate, an abundance of food will not prevent them from migrating. Birds migrate because of the length of day, it is called the photoperiod in birds. No amount of food can make a bird resist their natural urge to migrate, but a well stocked feeder could give them enough energy for their journey.
Do bird feeders spread diseases to other birds?
There is a debate about whether feeders help diseases spread among birds. While a bird feeder can harbor any number of bird diseases such as Salmonellosis even during cold weather it is not known if they increase the amount of disease transmission from the wild. The birds that usually carry and spread these diseases are very social birds and it is believed that they would contact just as many birds in the wild as at a bird feeder. Regular cleaning can prevent the feeder from harboring diseases though which can help lower the effect. If you begin finding dead birds around your feed it is recommended that they be taken to local specialist. There are many scientific tests that require birds, even ones that are in various stages of decay. They may be able to determine what is causing the deaths, or reassure you that they are natural.
Who do I contact if I find a dead bird?
It is actually illegal to move or touch a dead bird unless you have a permit to do so. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 protects all birds, eggs and bird parts. Most local nature conservancies have people with these permits. They can give permission to move a bird if they cannot come to the site themselves. The best way to preserve the bird is with a Ziploc freezer bag. Turn it inside out and grab the bird then carefully close the bag over the bird. If you are concerned about the cause of death do not freeze the bag, send it immediately to a specialist. If cause of death is known it is okay to freeze the bird. Make sure to document the location and date when the specimen was retrieved. Studying dead birds provides a huge amount of data concerning many aspects of nature that are important for our survival as well.
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