If you buy new bird feeders, you should be willing to carry out some quick maintenance tasks from time to time. These tasks include cleaning the feeders themselves, cleaning the area around the feeders, and refilling the food supply. Cleaning the bird feeders and the surrounding area keeps the birds healthy. Refilling the food supply on a regular basis keeps the birds coming around on a regular basis. If you fill your feeders infrequently, birds will look to other sources for their food. By maintaining your feeders, you help the birds, and you can enjoy them on a regular basis.

Cleaning your bird feeders should prevent them from spreading disease among the birds that eat from them. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least once a week. With other types of bird feeders, however, you can clean less frequently. But you should still clean them regularly, at least once per season. If you feed year round, that means about 4 times per year.

When you clean, follow these steps. Prepare a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Dump out any remaining feed. Wash the feeder with hot, soapy water. Sterilize it by dipping it into the bleach solution. Rinse the feeder well. Allow it to dry completely before you refill it. Return it to its regular position.

You will also need to clean up the area surrounding your bird feeders. Grab a rake and clear the ground of seed hulls. After they have sat a while, they begin to decompose. If left around your feeders, they can spread disease among the birds. You don't have to rake them up every week, but it might be a good idea to attend to this task whenever you clean your feeders so you don't forget.

A more frequent maintenance task you'll need to carry out is refilling the feeders. Attending to this job on a regular basis ensures that the birds have a regular supply of food. A regular supply of food, in turn, keeps them visiting your yard on a regular basis. If you refill the feeders infrequently, the birds will move on to another food source. The particular kind of feed you use will depend on the type of birds you want to attract. Black-oil sunflowers seeds and mixed seeds are popular choices. Sunflower seeds probably appeal to the widest variety of birds. You also have millet, corn, red milo, and suet. In addition, fruit attracts some species of birds.

If you want birds to come visiting, check out the many types of bird feeders available. Some, with decorative designs, are quite appealing to the eye. Determine whether you can carry out some basic maintenance tasks, such as cleaning the feeders regularly, cleaning the area around the feeders, and refilling the feeders with food. If you can clean a few times a year, and refill the feeders as needed, you should be off to a great start in attracting a variety of birds and protecting them from disease.