Due to recent Avian Influenza developments, some wildlife rehabilitation groups are recommending back yard bird feeders and bird baths be removed to help mitigate the risk of spreading the disease.

And a Saskatchewan Wildlife Health Specialist says they too are recommending people remove bird feeders and bird baths.

Iga Stasiak with the Ministry of Environment says even though they haven’t predominantly seen Avian flu in some of the song birds and species that would normally go to bird feeders, this strain of Avian flu seems to affect a much a broader range of species than previous versions.

The predominant species they’ve seen with Avian flu are water fowl and raptors. Some pasturing birds and scavenging birds are suspect and they are awaiting results on tests from magpies and pigeons. Stasiak says as far as song birds are concerned it is quite possible they will also be affected and they want to minimize any impact on their mortality.

Stasiak says they recommend, if you decide to keep your bird feeders up, you clean them twice a week in a dilute bleach solution and clean out any bird feed that has fallen to the ground. She says when it comes to bird baths they also recommend eliminating them noting that birds have plentiful access to moisture and food ,obtained by their own efforts, at this time of year.