Wild birds are susceptible to a range of different diseases, and outbreaks are sometimes seen in gardens. Learn how to reduce the risks of disease transmission in your garden, and what to do if you see sick or dead birds.
Prevention is better than cure
Diseases can be seen in birds both in natural habitats and in gardens. Infectious diseases, such as avian influenza (bird flu), and noninfectious diseases can cause birds to die, and can be a welfare concern for affected birds. Sometimes deaths caused by disease may lead to wider population declines, and some infections of wild birds can also affect human and domestic animal health.
- Learn more about the diseases you may observe in birds.
Birds that wouldn’t normally meet in close proximity may congregate at garden feeders, or may gather at higher densities than seen in other habitats, both of which may increase the risk of disease transmission. Unfortunately, by the time it is possible to catch a sick bird for treatment, it is likely to be too ill to help.
Treating sick birds without first capturing them is not advisable because there is no way of ensuring that medicines will be taken only by affected birds or in the correct doses. It is better to take preventative action to stop disease transmission in the first place.
How to prevent disease transmission
The most likely places for disease to spread in gardens are garden feeders and bird baths, which sick birds may contaminate with infectious material, such as saliva or droppings. Here are some simple tips to reduce the risk of disease in your garden birds:
Actions that you can take:
1. Keep feeding stations and bird baths clean.
- Bird feeders, tables and bird baths should be regularly cleaned and disinfected (e.g. weekly) to avoid any build-up of food waste and bird droppings.
- Suitable disinfectants that can be used include a weak solution of domestic bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) and other specially designed commercial products, diluted according to the instructions on the bottle.
- Before disinfecting feeders, dampen surfaces with water to reduce the chance of breathing in dry dust and wash off any dirt or debris as this will neutralise the disinfectant and reduce its effectiveness.
- After disinfecting feeders, etc., rinse thoroughly with fresh water and allow them to air dry before re-filling.
- Regularly sweep/clean areas beneath feeders to prevent waste food and/or droppings from accumulating.
- Brushes and cleaning equipment for bird feeders, tables and baths should not be used for other purposes and should be kept and used outside only, away from food preparation areas.
- Wear rubber gloves when cleaning feeders and thoroughly wash hands and forearms afterwards with soap and water, especially before eating or drinking.
2. Provide good quality, fresh food.
- Wherever possible, try to provide natural food sources through wildlife gardening.
- Buy fresh food from reputable sources and in quantities which will be used within a relatively short period.
- Store food in a sealed container in a cool, dry place with minimal temperature variation to avoid condensation which can encourage mould growth and mycotoxins.
- Remove any uneaten food after 24—48 hours and do not repeatedly re-fill feeders on top of old food.
- Dispose of uneaten food as waste, not into parts of the garden where wildlife may still access it.
- Vary food types provided according to season e.g. fat products in autumn/winter.
3. Rotate the position of your feeders around the garden.
- If your garden size and design allow, have several sites where feeders can be positioned and rotate feeder locations between these regularly to reduce build-up of waste material in any one area.
- Offer different food types (e.g. seed and nuts, fruit, mealworms) at separate sites to reduce birds with different diets (e.g. seed-feeding, insectivorous) feeding together in close contact.
- Avoid placing feeders under garden features where birds perch or roost; this will prevent contamination with droppings.
What should I do if I see a sick bird?
Finding a sick or dead bird in your garden can be distressing. Here is some information about what to do if you see signs of disease.
Should I stop feeding?
If you see birds of any species that you suspect may be affected by disease in your garden, particularly if you see multiple sick or dead birds, we recommend that you stop feeding for at least two weeks (since you last saw an unwell bird) in order to encourage birds to disperse, thereby reducing the chance of birds infecting each other at your feeding stations.
Only reintroduce feeding as long as you are no longer seeing birds with signs of disease, and closely watch for any further signs. If you see further signs of disease, once again stop feeding. We also recommend leaving bird baths empty until no further sick or dead birds are seen.
Can a diseased bird be treated?
Treatment is rarely an appropriate option. If you find a sick or injured bird that is capable of avoiding threats (such as domestic animals), it may be in the bird’s best interest to be left in the wild.
However, if you become concerned about the welfare of an affected wild bird, we recommend contacting a local vet, or the RSPCA (England and Wales) or Scottish SPCA (Scotland) for advice.
- Please bear in mind that wild birds have unique requirements for survival after treatment and are relatively intolerant of prolonged captivity.
Report signs of disease
Please report sickness or death in garden wildlife (birds, amphibians, reptiles or Hedgehogs) to the Garden Wildlife Health project so wildlife vets can help reach a diagnosis, where possible, and contribute to a national database of wildlife disease incidents.
Garden Wildlife Health (GWH) is a collaborative project between the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Froglife and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and aims to monitor the health of, and identify disease threats to, British wildlife.
Buy bird feeder hygiene products from a reputable company
BTO is proud to work in partnership with leading bird-care company Vine House Farm, with the shared aim of making a positive impact for birds.
- Please visit their website for high-quality nest boxes, bird houses, foods, feeders and more.