any precautions when feeding the wild birds, because of bird flu?

Question

I enjoy feeding the wild birds especially during the winter. Staying warm and finding food is probably not easy for them. Are there any precautions I need to take because of the bird flu other than washing my hands?

Answer 1

Don't worry about catching bird flu from wild birds.
First of all, bird flu is carried by domestic poultry, not wild birds.
Second, there has not been one single documented case of bird flu in the Western hemisphere (although if you are asking the question from the UK, this will mean nothing to you).
Just wash you hands because you should after handling any wild animal, not because you worry about bird flu.

Answer 2

i'm surprised at those solutions. What got here approximately to the easy excitement of feeding some wild birds on your backyard? some thing people have been doing for years and not in any respect a undertaking approximately doing so. each and every the place I even have lived, this has been a pastime and no one has ever have been given ill. in case you dealt with the birds immediately, then with the "poultry flu" virus around, you would be endangering your self......

Answer 3

dont think so but you should wash your hands after filling bird feeders, another thing I read is birds eat off the ground of seed that has fallen and birds are pooping on the ground as eating from the feeder. I read birds can get ill from this so I am gonna in spring lay slate around the feeders so it can be washed off so the seed that is falling wont be contaminated by bird feces.

Answer 4

Other than washing your hands, make sure you keep the area around the feeders clean (it's a good idea anyway because it attracts other critters) and keep the feeders themselves cleaned. That way if one bird is carrying something it doesn't spread to all the others.

Answer 5

wild birds do get avian flu. so far noone has proven to have contracted avian flu from wild birds.
i do however, wash my hands after i feed my wild birds and i wash my feeders in mild bleach/simlpe green solution at least once a month during the warmer weather.

Answer 6

If you arent touching the birds you are fine just putting out food. I would wash my hands if you are touching the feeder or such if there is poop on the feeder... why not be safe???