Could you help keep Berkshire's garden birds safe this winter?

The RSPCA is asking for your help stopping the spread of disease among garden birds this winter.

While garden birds aren't typically at risk from Bird Flu other diseases spread easily at the bird feeder.

Last year there were 116 calls to the RSPCA about sick and weak looking birds in Berkshire, out of nearly 9,000 calls made nationally.

The 8,750 calls to the charity in 2021 about sick or weak garden birds included ground feeders such as wood pigeons (726), blackbirds (375) and robins (84), as well as those that use hanging feeders such as sparrows (235), finches (47) and tits (42).

Cleaning your bird feeder could help stop the spread of illness though.

RSPCA scientific officer Evie Button said:

“Birds can die from diseases caught from dirty feeders and water bowls so it’s really important to keep garden bird feeders clean.

“Last year, we took almost 9,000 calls from people reporting sick or weak garden birds. That’s already far too many, but sadly, that figure is likely to be just the tip of the iceberg; many birds will become sick and will die unseen by humans.

“It’s really heart-warming that so many people - around half the population - want to help garden birds by feeding them. But this data suggests that birds are not as healthy as they should be and one way we can make a difference and keep them disease-free is good hygiene.

“While bird flu - a terrible disease which is currently sweeping through our waterfowl and seabird populations - thankfully doesn’t tend to affect garden birds very often, it’s a timely reminder of the devastation that can occur from a highly contagious disease.

“As supplementary feeding does encourage birds to gather together in close proximity, it can create ideal conditions for diseases to spread amongst garden birds. By regularly cleaning bird feeders we can all do our bit to help stop the spread of devastating diseases and maintain the health of our garden birds.”

To help garden birds maintain their health, the RSPCA recommends:

• Cleaning feeders weekly and water containers every day (rinse with water and dry before refilling)
• Rotating feeding areas around the garden (this keeps bird droppings and bacteria from building up)
• Keeping feeding areas raised above the ground (to deter mice, rats and other unwanted visitors)

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• garden birds