Bird feeders should cleaned once a week to stop the risk of spreading deadly diseases.
The RSPB warns birds are dying after catching illnesses from unclean feeders.
It’s feared the feeders might help spread bird flu.
A YouGov survey for the charity found only half the people using feeders and tables regularly keep them clean.
An RSPB spokesperson said:
“If people can’t clean weekly then people can also do other things like putting up nest boxes, planting native vegetation or leaving messy corners of the garden for nature.”
And Beccy Speight, the RSPB’s chief executive, said:
“We know that, for many people, garden birds provide an important connection to the wider natural world and bring enormous joy.
“Over the last year, there has been a broad and much-needed realisation that nature is an important and necessary part of our lives, especially for our mental health and well-being.
“But nature needs us too and we want to help make sure that people are providing the best offering they can for birds at a time when many species are in decline.”
This week marks the start of the Big Garden Birdwatch – said to be the world’s largest wildlife survey.
People are asked to check for one hour the birds that come into their gardens over this weekend (January 29th to the 30th).
The results are then fed back to the RSPB.
