Category: Bird Baths

Bird Baths, Bird Food and Feeders  |  September 16, 2025

Quality Bird Seed and Clean Feeders Matter

Why Feed Quality Seed to Wild Birds?

Empty Calories are Lost Nourishment!

Wild birds must be efficient eaters to survive. They seek the best nutritional content available and eat their fill quickly.

For wild birds, with their fast-acting metabolism and high calorie requirements, eating anything that doesn’t contain essential protein, fat and carbohydrates is a lost opportunity for nourishment.

 

Never feed bread to wild birds!

Please NEVER feed bread, crackers, popcorn or other human snack food items to birds. They contain zero nutrition, but give birds the artificial feeling that they are full. Wild birds, in particular, Chickadees, can freeze to death overnight with seemingly full stomachs. This includes all wild birds, even ducks and geese who can develop a debilitating condition called “angel wing syndrome” from the lack of nutrition. Please click on this link to see the dangers of feeding bread to wild birds.

What is Best Quality Bird Seed?

Premium bird seed is:

  • Fresh! Harvested from the most recent season
  • Free from pesticides
  • Non-GMO
  • Stored properly, free from moisture and contaminants
  • Not bulked out with filler seeds
  • High oil content

Bargain Seed isn’t Always the Best Deal

Not all bird seed is created equal! When feeding wild birds, think quality and value. There are reasons why that bag of mixed seed is so cheap!

Signs of inferior seed:

  • Full of irrelevant filler seeds undesirable for the majority of our local wild birds. This waste will end up on the ground beneath your feeders and attract less desirable scavenger birds and worse, rodents!
  • It’s old, nutrition depleted. Or rancid! Being held over from previous harvest(s) allows time for loss of nutrients and taste.
  • It’s been stored improperly, exposed to moisture.
  • Contains unacceptable amount of insect larvae or rodent feces.
  • It’s made by the same company who makes pesticides!!! RED FLAG!!! (See this most disturbing example on the US Department of Justice website: Scott’s Miracle-Gro ‘Morning Song’ Wild Bird Seed mix, distributed nationally, knowingly violated U.S. Federal Pesticide Law and killed unknown numbers of birds.)

How to Buy and Store Premium Quality Bird Seeds

  • Read the labels! Check the dates and make sure all the seed is the most recent season’s fresh crop.
  • Store seed in a dry, airtight container, secure from insects or foragers.
  • Join us on October 24 & 25 to save BIG on super Clean Seed Mixes formulated for Central MO Birds! The sale offers fantastic value on our high quality seed and seed blends.  Plan to stock up! Details on specials to come.

How to Tell When Bird Seed Goes Bad

Has something about your bird seed changed since you bought it? If any of the following are present, dispose of it and buy fresh seed.

  • Unpleasant smell. It should smell fresh and nutty.
  • Stickiness and clumping. This means the seed is damp and in a pre-mold condition.
  • Change in color or has a dullness or powdery coating.
  • Evidence of insect infestation, i.e. spider-like webbing, cocoons.

Why Clean Feeders Matter

Clean Feeders are Healthy Feeders

A filthy bird feeder is unhealthy. A moldy bird feeder is dangerous! Wild birds are vulnerable to diseases caused by inhaling mold spores, among others. Keeping an eye on the cleanliness of your feeders and cleaning them quickly when needed is vital.

Before you refill a feeder, or top it off with food, remove any debris left by your guests. Make sure any remaining seed is dry and fresh. Refer back to ‘How to Tell When Bird Seed Goes Bad’ above for the signs that seed is spoiled and should be replaced.

Keeping your feeder healthy is easy! Clean feeders regularly—at least once a month, more often when feeder traffic is heavy or during prolonged wet or humid weather. Hot soapy water and a good scrub is all it needs! Here’s the basic method:

The Easiest Way to Clean Your Bird Feeder

A Routine Cleaning

  1. Disassemble feeder as much as possible.
  2. Soak in hot soapy water and scrub with a brush/scrunge sponge.
  3. Rinse thoroughly; until all soap is gone. Rinse again to be sure!
  4. Let parts dry completely.
  5. Reassemble feeder and fill it with fresh seed.
  6. Rake up and dispose of any debris beneath feeders.

When and How to Deep Clean Your Bird Feeders

What is a ‘Deep Cleaning’?

Fortunately, a deep cleaning means just adding one extra step to the regular, routine cleaning: soaking in a diluted bleach (most feeders) or, a diluted vinegar solution (wood feeders). This is sometimes necessary to thoroughly eradicate mold or bacteria that can be deadly for birds.

If you see a sick bird at your feeder

Thankfully, there’s no salmonella outbreak currently in our area. However, if you do see a bird at one of your feeders that appears to be compromised by some type of sickness, assume that it has visited your other feeders and is possibly contagious.
This is the time to be proactive to protect the health of your other birds. Quickly take all your feeders down and throw away the old food. Do a deep cleaning of all your feeders, and refill them with fresh food.

How to tell if a bird is sick

  • “Puffed up” feathers
  • Labored breathing
  • Weakness, drooping wings, or an inability to stand.
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargic/does not fly away when approached.

If you see a sick bird at your bath

All birds need water for drinking and bathing, so your bird bath is likely visited by insect and fruit eaters that do not frequent your seed feeders. If you see a sick bird at one of your bird baths, take all of the baths ‘out of action’ and give them a thorough cleaning.

Call Missouri Department of Conservation for advice and next steps, don’t handle or try to treat the bird yourself.

 When and how to clean your bird bath

Ditto!!! Maintain your bird bath or fountain with the same diligence as your feeders—by keeping it clean and filled with fresh.

If the water is cloudy, discolored or you see the beginnings of algae, it’s time to dump the water and clean. For the health of all your backyard birds, please do not delay cleaning until the water is obviously icky. See ‘How to Clean a Bird Bath‘ for specific details.

Three simple steps for maintaining a clean and healthy bird bath

    1. Make sure the water is fresh and keep it topped up. During summer, you’ll likely need to top up more often— especially if your bird bath is popular with energetic bathers!
    2. Keep your bird bath clean. Rinse and refresh often, usually daily, in spring and summer. Scrub your bird bath with a good brush using baking soda, lemon juice or white vinegar and then rinse well.
    3. Never add chemicals to the water!

Fresh water from a clean bath is critical to all your backyard birds health and wellbeing during every season of the year. See “Wild Birds, Summer and Water” or “Wild Birds, Winter and Water” for seasonal tips on maintaining your bird bath.

Supporting Backyard Birds Will Bring Unlimited Joy

Your conscientious effort to keep your feeders clean and stocked with the best available food could help generations of wild birds stay healthy! And in the process, you’ll be rewarded you with countless hours of joy! Backyard bird feeders are an excellent opportunity to see birds up close and at their best, all year round.

Attracting Birds, Bird Baths  |  November 27, 2019

Winter Birdbaths

By: Tristan Palmgren

As the weather gets colder and natural seeds and nuts become scarcer, more and more birds will be visiting your feeders – but food and calories aren’t the only things they’re going to be looking for. Liquid water becomes even scarcer in winter. Feeders are an essential component of your backyard birding habitat, but they’re not the biggest draw for birds. In winter, liquid water will draw many times more birds than even the most attractive feeders.

Keeping liquid water in your backyard is less of a challenge than it might seem. The Songbird Essentials Birdbath & Multiuse De-Icer will fit most birdbaths, and is completely safe for birds. The surface won’t get too hot for them to touch, nor take up too much electricity. The De-Icer is controlled by a built-in thermostat. The heating element will only switch on when the water is just above freezing and will maintain it at that temperature. It will turn on and shut off automatically. The projected power usage is pennies per month.

bird bath deicer
Birdbath & Multi-Use De-Icer

Most heated birdbaths – that is, full baths with their own heating elements built in – are also controlled by thermostat, are similarly cost-effective to operate, and can be used year-round. Our most versatile heated birdbath is the Songbird Spa, which can be mounted to a deck railing with a clamp or plate mount and comes with stakes for a ground mount option. The Songbird Spa is easy to clean. The bath lifts right out of its holder. Other heated birdbaths can also be mounted on decks or, like the Songbird Essentials Heated Cedar Birdbath, come with stands.

Songbird Spa

One of the best features of a well-maintained birdbath is that they will draw many more birds than might otherwise visit your feeders otherwise, including birds that aren’t primarily seed-eaters. Not only will liquid water attract a greater quantity of birds, but also a wider variety. Last winter, nine out of ten stories about bluebirds that we heard in the store started with birdbaths. Bluebirds visit seed feeders on occasion, but they’ll more readily make a habit of visiting fresh water. A heated birdbath is a great way to draw in as many bluebirds to your backyard as your area will support – and to see if it’s worth investing in a mealworm feeder or bluebird house, if you haven’t already.

Mealworm Feeder Blue/Grey

Attracting Birds, Bird Baths, Bird Watching  |  October 22, 2019

Nature’s Bounty

By: Mary Douglas

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

Fall is upon us with winter close behind. A stroll through local parks amid our autumn colors is always a delight this time of year. Take note of the abundant natural foods available for wildlife as you go.

Seed heads heavy with seed will be bent over, acorns will be scattered about the undergrowth, and berries will be heavy on the stems. Native plants and trees you may find include Sunflowers, Serviceberry, Red Cedar, Wild Plum, Black Cherry, Oaks, Basswood, Beautyberry, Dogwood, Hawthorn, Sumac, Virginia Creeper, Coneflower, Liatris, Asters, Black-Eyed Susan, Native Grasses, Winterberry, and others. Many of our native plants look like a weed, yet they are nature’s grocery store for our wildlife. You will likely find some of these natural foods in your yard. Along with the wild food, fall provides leaf litter on the ground that is winter nesting material for birds, squirrels, and bugs.

Songbird Essentials Heated Bird Bath

The Missouri Department of Conservation recommends leaving the native foods and litter where they are for the birds and critters. We can help our local wildlife by leaving and encouraging such native resources in our yards. Fall is the prime time to expand your native perennial plants either by division and replanting or by purchasing starts from local growers. Adding a reliable source of fresh water, such as a heated birdbath, and seed and suet feeders to supplement the wild harvest will attract and help support your local wild residents through fall and winter. Future benefits will show themselves in years to come.

Crossfire 8×42

Fall also brings the shortened daylight hours that triggers the migration of birds. September is often the month we see the most activity at feeders from migratory birds. Birders have a great opportunity to take pictures in the fall as the birds offer unusual opportunities to see them as they move through on their way south. Cameras and binoculars are often in our pockets as we stroll about our parks. Songbird Station offers a wide variety of feeders, baths, and optics to meet your needs and budget. Utilitarian or decorative there is something for every bird lover and a variety of seeds and seed blends for every bird species. Take advantage of Nature’s bounty in the native plants, add a few strategically placed feeders, and use your binoculars to watch the show!

 

 

Attracting Birds, Bird Baths, Bird Food and Feeders, Informative  |  October 15, 2019

Family Time

By: Kevin Alferman

Warblers

The Warbler Guide By: Tom Stephenson & Scott Whittle

Welcome to the wonderful world of Warblers. Did you know that 37 species of warblers migrate through Missouri in the Spring and Fall? Fall viewing can produce some rewarding looks at the colorful and artistic patterns of warblers, however, they don’t come easy. Most warblers are secretive, hiding among the foliage. They feed actively, primarily on insects, so it seems like right when you’re ready to get a good look, it moves. But keep trying, because when you do get a good look it’s really worth it. In general, warblers are tiny (smaller than sparrows, slightly larger than a goldfinch) and their beaks are short and pointed. Common species that breed in Missouri include Northern Parula, American Redstart, Prothonotary Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Common Yellow Throat, and Yellow-Breasted Chat. Uncommon breeding warblers include Blue-Winged, Yellow-Throated, Yellow, Pine, Black and White, Prairie, Cerulean and Worm-eating. Common migrating warblers include Tennessee, Yellow-Rumped, Black-Throated Green, Blackpoll, Palm and Wilson’s. Uncommon migrating warblers include Orange-Crowned, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Blackburnian, Bay-Breasted, Mourning, and Canada. WHEW! As if that’s not enough, an additional 6 species wing through as rarities. Want to learn more – Check out “The Warbler Guide”.

Pine Tree Farms Insect Suet Cake

Species Spotlight – Yellow-Rumped Warbler

The Yellow-Rumped Warbler is one of the most abundant warbler species throughout the country. In Missouri, they are abundant migrants from Early October through November, with their numbers reducing through December. A few even stick around through the winter! They spend the summer breeding in Canada and high mountains. Look for them in the higher portions of trees in your yard. Locate them by listening for their often repeated short call (sounds like “check”). It is a well-named species because the yellow rump is a good field mark. It looks like a pat of butter was placed above the base of the tail, giving them the illustrious nickname “butterbutts”. Also, look for the white spots on the black tail (especially visible in flight) and the yellow patches on the flanks. Color patterns and markings are bolder on the male. The male’s body has an overall bluish-gray look, while the female appears more brownish. This species is separated into two subspecies and both migrate through Missouri. The Audubon race is the western variety and has a yellow throat. The white-throated Myrtle race breeds mostly in the eastern U.S. and Canada.

Backyard Essentials Floating Solar Birdbath Bubbler

Attracting and Viewing Warblers

Warbler migration peaks in mid-September so now is the time to get ready for them. Birdbaths, especially with moving and noisy water, are a great way to get warblers in the open for a nice look. Ground and elevated birdbaths also work well. The simplest way to things moving is the Solar Powered Birdbath Bubbler (pictured) that can be easily inserted in any type of birdbath. Despite being insect eaters, there are some good food options for attracting Warblers. Many species make occasional visits to suet for the high energy beef fat, especially varieties that include insects, and fruit. HAPPY HUNTING!

Attracting Birds, Bird Baths, Bird Food and Feeders, Bird Houses and Nesting  |  October 13, 2019

Clean Up Your Act

By: Kevin Alferman

Keeping feeders clean is an ongoing part of feeding the birds and will keep the feeders looking good and minimize the spread of disease. They should be cleaned as needed, but you should plan to clean them at least every two to three months. If you notice sick or diseased birds visiting the feeders, it’s time for a cleaning to stop it from spreading. If the seed gets wet and moldy in your feeder, be sure to disinfect the feeders as the mold can be harmful to birds. The cleaning task is typically an outdoor activity, so your schedule should include cleaning in November before it gets too cold, then again in February when it starts to warm up. A 10% bleach or vinegar solution is best for cleaning because it effectively disinfects the feeders. Be sure the feeders are thoroughly dry before refilling as these solutions are non-toxic once they dry out. Fill up a large container like a trash can, with the solution and submerge your feeders. If you have the time this is a good method to clean all of your feeders at once. Let each feeder soak for a few minutes as the scrubbing will be easier. The Songbird Essentials birdbath and feeder cleaning brushes are specifically designed with long sturdy bristles to clean all of the nooks and crannies. Use one of our many shapes and sizes of bristled bottle brushes to clean tube feeders. While you’re at it, dump out the birdbath and disinfect it too. Be sure and dump as much water out of the feeders and baths as you can and place them in the sun to dry. For stubborn cleaning jobs use a product like Poop-Off that is specially designed to remove bird droppings. Remember to pick up a bottle of Birdbath Protector that helps minimize algae growth and mineral and sludge deposits.

Bird Bath Brush
Poop-Off Bird 32 oz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 oz Birdbath Protector
Best Long Brush

Bird Baths  |  January 16, 2019

Winter Spa for the Birds

A guaranteed way to increase your backyard activity!

What’s a sure way to attract birds to your feeders? Offer water… especially in winter! About 70% of a bird’s non-fat body tissue is water that needs to be maintained to avoid dehydration. Birds find some water in natural food sources: insects, berries, and even from snow, but when those supplies dwindle, the water YOU supply is even more vital!

Open water in freezing weather will attract as many or more birds, as a well-stocked feeder! Birds use it to help keep themselves warmer in the winter.

By cleaning their feathers and grooming them with natural oils, our feathered friends are able to help insulate their bodies from cold.

You can keep water thawed with a submersible heater placed directly in the water. It’s economical and safe, as long as you use a high-quality, outdoor extension cord to plug the heater into an electrical source.

In winter, use a rough-surfaced, plastic saucer for a birdbath. Ceramic and concrete ones, though fine for summer use, will crack easily in frigid weather.

  • Cedar Heated Deck Bird Bath
  • Classic Garden Bird Bath
    Classic 17″ Garden Bird Bath
  • Heated Bird Bath
    Heated Bird Bath
  • Cedar Non-Heated Bird Bath
  • Mini Hanging Bird Bath with Clay Tray
    Mini Hanging Bird Bath