Wiping away hidden dangers at residential birdfeeders

The beauty and pleasure of birds visiting a residential birdfeeder can belie a hidden danger, as feeders can also spread pathogens among the birds.

Virginia Tech researchers have shown that simply wiping down the feeder surfaces, which visiting birds touch, with bleach or alcohol wipes results in effectively removing a common avian pathogen that can cause debilitating disease. Their findings are published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence.

“One of the most common hidden dangers of feeders for North American birds is a bacterial pathogen that can cause severe pinkeye for many types of songbirds, often resulting in their death,” said Dana Hawley, professor of biological sciences in the College of Science, and the principal scientist on the study.

Hawley points out that although this pathogen doesn’t usually kill birds directly, it makes it hard for them to find food, and it makes them easy prey for predators.  

“This eye disease caused striking population declines in one of our most common backyard bird species,” said Hawley, an affiliate with the Global Change Center. “It’s a threat to several types of bird species that love residential feeders, but all of us can minimize this threat with good feeder hygiene.”

Hawley notes that one unique aspect of this disease is that people often notice birds at their feeder with severely swollen eyes, allowing them to take actions such as more frequent feeder cleaning in response. 

Ashley Dayer, a professor of fish and wildlife conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment and a co-author on the study, points out that over 50 million people or households enjoy feeding birds in their backyards or home surroundings. In the team’s previous research, they found that bird lovers are inclined to help ensure the health of their frequent flyers.  

The researchers hoped to tap into this inclination to help birds by testing a simple cleaning option that can be done at residential feeders at least once or twice a week.  

“Much like a public doorknob touched constantly by different people, feeders that are constantly visited by birds will build up germs quickly,” said Hawley, an affiliate with the Fralin Life Sciences Institute. “The high-use surfaces like perches and feeding ports need to be cleaned frequently to keep pathogens at bay.”   

By showing that a simple method of wiping down feeder surfaces can remove all contagious bacteria, the researchers want to offer bird lovers an easy way to help reduce the spread of pathogens. 

“Being able to watch birds close up at feeders has mental health benefits for people, and it’s an enjoyable activity that can bring people together,” said Dayer, an affiliate with the Global Change Center. “We are pleased to contribute insights on how to keep birds as healthy as possible while still maintaining the benefits of bird feeding for birds and people.”

Multiple researchers contributed to this National Science Foundation-funded study:

• Riley Meyers, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

• Alicia Surratt, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

• Caren Cooper, North Carolina State University at Raleigh

• Richard Hall, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia

• Wesley Hochachka, Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University

• Kelley Langhans, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech

• Becki Lawson, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London

• Christy Potosky, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech

• Sara Teemer, Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech

The collaboration to ignite this study was supported by a seed grant from the Global Change Center and the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment. Bridge funding was also provided by Fralin Life Sciences Institute.