To feed or not to feed?

Bird Flu: Should we stop "backyard bird feeding"?

This may be a stupid question, but should we stop feeding the birds now?

I haven't seen anyone mention this anywhere that I've read yet, or else I missed it.

I feed the birds all year 'round, and a few days ago as I was scrubbing out the bird bath I have for them and it occurred to me that maybe "backyard bird feeding or bird baths" is not the wisest thing to be doing any more with the bird flu problem potential.

Does anyone know?

I will continue to feed the birds, I enjoy watching the birds on the feeders and on the bird bath. I hope it does not kill me!

Keep feeding. Just practice good hygiene...

I agree that feeding birds will not change anything...they are going to be around whether we put treats out for them or not.

However, handling anything where the birds frequent might need caution.

I have a bird bath in my back yard which I scrub out and refill daily. what you need to be aware of is the chance of picking up virus and disease from handling the bath or feeding platform.

Even without H5N1 as a threat, be sure to wash carefully afterwards. With the potential of H5N1, I think it is a hundred times more important.

[edit on 1-10-2005 by masqua]

I don't think having a seed bell is a big problem.

However, I'm curious about problems related to feeding larger and "pest" birds. These birds include geese and pigeons. Both of these birds are messy and I know that pigeons can carry numerous diseases. (Plus, I think that sometimes people feed them in the summer and less in winter, causing deaths from starvation, but I could be wrong.

Originally posted by Toxic Fox I think that sometimes people feed them in the summer and less in winter, causing deaths from starvation, but I could be wrong.

You're right about the feeding, people have it backwards, i think...I never feed birds in the summer but keep my lawns chemical free instead. I may have weeds and holes in my lawn (from skunks burrowing for grubs), but at least I know the birds aren't feeding poisoned bugs to their young.

Feeding in the winter is fine, imo...I put out suet for them.