Hi
This is interesting because I
think water is more important than feeding the birds. My concern is too much
bleach would not be good for the birds does anyone have a pool that the birds
dip into?
Judy
From: Stephen Mugford
[
Sent: Tuesday, 14 September 2010 10:14 PM
To:
Subject: [canberrabirds] bird baths
I have a large birdbath in the traditional saucer shape. It
is very popular with the wattle birds and blackbirds. Also currawongs and
rosellas. Haven’t noticed ravens in there a lot, but sometimes.
When it gets grungy, I simply tip about half a cup to a cup
of bleach in, stir and top up.
If you think about it, the concentration is low almost from
the start and since it is busy chewing up the greeblies, it is not really a
toxic mix at any point. I usually keep an eye on it for a little while to make
sure nothing uses it . After that, it smells about the same as the average
swimming pool for a short while. I would guess it probably tastes about
like the tap water on a day when they have been putting extra chlorination in
(after all, bleach is just sodium hypochlorite).
It does not seem to deter any of the regulars and I doubt it
does them the slightest harm. Indeed, if they bathe in it when it is dilute
they are more likely to gain parasite reduction than suffer plumage fade. Much
the same as persuading poor kids to use the swimming pool regularly to combat
scabies, etc .... J
Stephen
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Stephen Mugford
Managing Director
QQSR
Box 12,
Gungahlin, ACT 2912
Ph: +61 2 6242
1008 [02 6242 1008]
Mob: + 61 411 466640 [0411
466640]
