Home & Gardens: How to clean your bird feeders

A dirty feeding station will attract all the wrong sort of attention, and can actively transmit illness between sick birds

Birdwatch Ireland explains: “Because birds congregate in high numbers at bird feeders, there’s potential for the transmission of some bacteria, parasites and other infections. 

To guard against avian flu, the environment you’re inviting birds into should be a healthy one too. Otherwise you might sadly, do more damage than good. 

Instances of dozens of small birds catching disease, or dying after consuming inappropriate or spoiled cheap feed, are too common.