I don't have a bird feeder but from the discussions on local forums:
sick birds were ocassionally reported (in form of bird sitting fluffed up and looking miserable) but I don't remember hearing about action taken in form of extra cleaning of bird feeder. One bird apparently recovered from whatever it was affected with, some just disappeared, it was assumed predators picked them as easy prey.
Many windowsill feeders are do-it-yourself things made of plastic water bottles so they are just tossed once they get dirty. One person placed bottle feeders in public park opposite her window and bottles were periodically destroyed in bonfires by hooligans
Sunflower seeds are food of choice, being relatively easy to find at affordable prices. Some people experimented with suet balls at window feeders. Kitchen-sponge-sized slabs of white bacon were used at least by a few people but they reported they were used only by Great Tit when it was well below freezing. A few people had ground feeders and used wheat and other cereals, attracting finchlike species. Peanut is relatively expensive here and more likely to be nibbled on by the birdwatcher than by the bird.
I don't remember hearing about bird baths. There are usually plenty of puddles around houses where feeders are situated.
Birds are generally fed only in winter, completely deserting window feeders seemingly overnight when breeding season starts. However, if poor weather lasts for several days birds appear at their remembered feeders to check if there is any food left. My friend had great tit fledglings being brought by their parents to her 8th storey balcony as they happened to fledge during the sudden drop of temperature / prolonged rain.
sick birds were ocassionally reported (in form of bird sitting fluffed up and looking miserable) but I don't remember hearing about action taken in form of extra cleaning of bird feeder. One bird apparently recovered from whatever it was affected with, some just disappeared, it was assumed predators picked them as easy prey.
Many windowsill feeders are do-it-yourself things made of plastic water bottles so they are just tossed once they get dirty. One person placed bottle feeders in public park opposite her window and bottles were periodically destroyed in bonfires by hooligans
Sunflower seeds are food of choice, being relatively easy to find at affordable prices. Some people experimented with suet balls at window feeders. Kitchen-sponge-sized slabs of white bacon were used at least by a few people but they reported they were used only by Great Tit when it was well below freezing. A few people had ground feeders and used wheat and other cereals, attracting finchlike species. Peanut is relatively expensive here and more likely to be nibbled on by the birdwatcher than by the bird.
I don't remember hearing about bird baths. There are usually plenty of puddles around houses where feeders are situated.
Birds are generally fed only in winter, completely deserting window feeders seemingly overnight when breeding season starts. However, if poor weather lasts for several days birds appear at their remembered feeders to check if there is any food left. My friend had great tit fledglings being brought by their parents to her 8th storey balcony as they happened to fledge during the sudden drop of temperature / prolonged rain.
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