Written by Linda Hendricks Spence, BirdingBeyondtheFieldGuide.com
Featured image above of a rufous hummingbird on feeder by Dan Streiffert

Focus: Keeping Hummingbird, Oriole, and Bluebird Feeders Clean

Having bird feeders in your yard can be a wonderful thing.  So much to watch!  Antics, interactions, foraging.  By watching birds at feeders, you will see how birds interact with their own species and with birds of different species.  Always lots of posturing going on.  Even if there are only two birds, there will be a hierarchy. 

Besides keeping the feeders stocked with clean and fresh food, feeders also have to be kept clean – this is of the utmost importance.  And with hummingbird, oriole, and bluebird feeders, the food offered can become full of harmful bacteria – especially on hot summer days.  If you cannot keep these feeders clean on a strict schedule, it is better not to put them up.  Your goal is to assist birds with food, not to spread disease.  Mark your calendars!

Hummingbird Feeders:  Hummingbird feeders come in all sizes from the large ones where a dozen or more can feed at one time to this quite small one in a pot on our deck. Room for one!

Hummingbird feeders require more maintenance than seed feeders and this maintenance is important.  It will adversely affect the health of the birds if you do not keep their feeders clean and their sugar solution fresh.  If you do not have the time or inclination to clean and refill a hummingbird feeder every three days, don’t put one up.  Give this some thought before you make the commitment. Try to locate your feeder in the shade or partial shade – the sugar solution will not spoil or ferment as quickly (both can be fatal to hummingbirds).

Clean your feeders at least every 3-4 days. Use a bottle brush and hot water. Never use soap or detergent.

Oriole Feeders: Orioles eat grape jelly and ripe fruit – particularly oranges. But a caution about the jelly – only put out a small amount at a time – no more than a tablespoon and less would be better.  Jelly can get on a bird’s feathers which is often difficult to impossible for a bird to remove and it will interfere with the oil on the feathers.  Jelly on their feathers will cause them to be sticky and will attract ants and mites which are not good for the birds.  Discard any uneaten jelly at the end of every day and thoroughly wash out the cups with hot water – no soap.  Refill the cups each morning.  Every 2-3 days, scrub the entire feeder thoroughly with hot water – no soap. 

Bluebird Feeders:  The main food – and often the only food offered – is live mealworms which can be purchased in pet stores or online and be kept in your refrigerator for about 6-8 weeks.  If you have only one or two adult bluebirds who are not nesting, only put out a few mealworms at a time – no more than a dozen – and wait until they are eaten before adding more.  This can mean checking the feeder several times a day which may not work for everyone, but the point is to not put out more mealworms than your bluebirds can eat in one day – and less is better.

As with all other feeders, keep your bluebird feeder scrupulously clean – take it down every 3 days or so and thoroughly clean it with hot water.  No soap.