Cold doesn't equal clean bird feeders

Q Why do we need to clean feeders during the winter? Doesn't the cold kill the germs?

A Winter reduces the disease-causing potential at bird feeders, but it doesn't eliminate it. Aside from diseases, birds deposit spittle at holes on tube feeders and leave poop on feeder trays. Add a little rain and snow to the mix, and you've got dirty feeders and clumped, inedible seed.

For all these reasons, it's a good idea to take down feeders once a month in winter and give them a thorough cleaning. Wash plastic feeders, then rinse them in a mixture of water and bleach (nine parts water to one part bleach). Be sure feeders are dry before rehanging. Brush out wooden feeders thoroughly before refilling with seed.

And don't forget the area under the feeders. Even in winter, it's a good idea to rake or shovel up the debris that accumulates, or move feeders to new locations from time to time.

Birds and bathwater Q I'm interested in saving energy, so shouldn't I unplug my birdbath heater?

A You could, but birds do need water every day and this winter's brutal cold has frozen most natural sources of water. Besides, many birdbath heaters are energy-efficient. They save energy by cycling on and off, and generally only run about 10 minutes an hour. As far as cost goes, one birdbath heater manufacturer estimates that its heater costs less than $30 a season to run.

Avian whodunnit Q I found a half-eaten cottontail rabbit on our second-story deck this morning. There's a Cooper's hawk in the neighborhood. Could he have dropped the rabbit on our deck?

The great horned owl is the only back-yard-visiting raptor strong enough to carry a rabbit in its talons. In addition, this bird is notorious for consuming only part of its prey -- usually the head.

Birdie pudding Q Does peanut butter harm birds?

A Some people worry that gooey peanut butter will choke birds. I don't think most birds would eat enough to choke themselves. However, if you make your own bird pudding (recipe follows), you needn't worry about feeding with peanut butter.

1 cup shortening or lard

1 cup peanut butter

3 cups cornmeal

Melt shortening or lard together with the peanut butter. Add the flour and cornmeal and stir until combined. Freeze the mixture in cake pans or ice cube trays and offer chunks to birds on platform feeders or in suet feeders.

You can also add quick-cooking oats, chopped dried fruit, nuts and/or seeds to this very flexible recipe.