Songbird, hummingbird feeders need care in extreme heat

The official number of bird species in the world currently stands at 10,550, according to the Clements-Cornell World List.

Montana is home to 441.

Today, the rufous, calliope, and black-chinned hummingbirds are fighting at your feeders while bluebirds are on their second clutch.

Robins are about through nesting; Canada geese goslings are looking more like their parents and the black-capped chickadee is scouring for bugs on tree trucks with its distinctive 3-syllable call, that sounds like cheese bur-ger.

If you are a feeder of birds, this unusual heat is a red flag.

“We've been having some bird mortality lately due to salmonella and conjunctivitis that can get passed along at feeders,” said Liz Bradley, biologist for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Region 2.

To prevent the spread of these diseases, bird enthusiasts should consider either removing their bird feeders for the summer or cleaning the feeder regularly.

“Birds don’t need supplementary food in the summer. They typically eat naturally occurring food, such as insects, during this time of year when they are nesting and rearing their young,” she said. “We've received a number of calls lately about abnormal bird behavior where people have reported being able to walk right up to birds. They have also described crustiness around the eyes and some people have even found dead birds.If you see any of these symptoms and you feed birds, please take down your feeder right away. This has been a tough spring and summer for birds so far.”

Below are suggestions and advice to keep birds safe:

• Clean your feeders with warm, soapy water. Disinfect with a 10 percent bleach solution to kill bacteria. Rinse the feeder and allow it to dry completely before using it again. Disinfect your birdbaths as well.
• Clean your bird feeding area by washing all structures holding your feeders and raking the ground surrounding the feeders. If you have observed sick or dead birds, do not reinstall your feeders for a few weeks. As birds begin to migrate and cease traveling in flocks, it will be OK to put feeders back up.
• It is important to properly clean the feeders on a regular basis. A simple daily task that is often overlooked is to regularly inspect the feeders. Hot weather creates the perfect environment for bacteria and mold growth. Therefore, purchase feeders that have a wide mouth for easy cleaning.

Hummingbird feeders should not be left unattended for more than a day during the summer when heat temperatures rise above 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since feeders are prone to mold growth which is a toxin to hummingbirds, fill the hummingbird feeders with fresh homemade nectar regularly every 3-5 days.