bird feeders in a garden setting

How to Feed Garden Birds Safely with Hygiene Tips

Habitat loss and shortages of natural food, means feeding birds all year round still matters. This page shows you how to do it safely, reducing disease risk while supporting wild birds with clean feeders, smart routines, and simple steps that make a real difference.

  • Hygiene Essentials

    Maintain Safe Practises

    Maintain safe feeding habits with simple hygiene routines. Our specialist cleaning products help keep feeders fresh, reduce disease risk, and protect the birds that rely on your garden every day.

  • bird feeder cleaner hygiene spray for birds
    NEW

    Feeder Fresh™ Cleaning Spray 500ml

    £9.45
    £9.45
  • Ark Klens reasy to use bird feeder disinfectant

    Ark-Klens Ready To Use

    £7.50
    £7.50
  • Bird Feeder and Table Cleaning Kit; 2 in 1 Bird Table Cleaning Scraper; Ark-Klens Ready to Use; Bird Feeder Cleaning Brush

    Complete Bird Feeder`s Hygiene Kit

    £16.25
    £16.25
    £18.40
  • Vet-Ark Citrosan for bird baths

    Vet Ark Citrosan

    £7.95
    £7.95
  • Bird Feeder Cleaning Brush

    Bird Feeder Hygiene Brush

    £5.95
    £5.95
  • bird food feeder fresh

    Feeder Fresh 250g

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    £10.95
  • Bird Feeder Disinfectant Ark-Klens 250ml Consentrate

    Ark-Klens 250ml

    £10.75
    £10.75
  • Natural Citrus Cleanrer Concentrate 500ml

    Natural Citrus Cleaner 500ml

    £12.95
    £12.95
  • Bird Table 2 in 1 Cleaning/Scraper tool

    Bird Table 2 in 1 Cleaning/Scraper Tool

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Two courting greenfinches in spring

Ark's Expert Guides

Should I Stop Feeding Birds in Summer?

In response to recent guidance from the RSPB calling on the public to stop feeding birds between May and October, wildlife expert Sean McMenemy answers the question 'Should I stop feeding birds in summer?'

"No- you don’t need to stop feeding birds, but you do need to feed them responsibly."

Feeding birds in our gardens has become an important support factor for granivores, such as finches, especially during the 'hunger-gap' months May-July (BSBI & BTO data). For many species, it provides a consistent and reliable source of food and energy during the peak of the breeding season.

The concern around feeding isn’t the act itself, but how it’s done. Poor hygiene, overcrowded feeders, and lack of monitoring can increase the risk of disease spreading between birds.

The better approach is simple:
continue feeding, but take extra care.

By keeping feeders clean, spacing feeding areas, and acting quickly if you notice sick birds, you can support wildlife safely without stepping back entirely.

Read the Full Blog Here
  • Bird Food Essentials

    Bird Feeding Favourites

    Support birds through early summer and the breeding season with high-energy, nutritious foods. Carefully selected favourites help adults stay fit and provide for their young when it matters most. Protein-rich options, high-energy suet and seed mixes with added calcium for healthy eggs and bones.

  • Dried Mealworms; Dried Mealworms; Starlings feeding on Dried Mealworms

    Dried Mealworms

    From £4.25
    From £4.25
  • Ark Berry Suet Pellets; Ark Berry Suet Pellets Dunnock eating pellets mixed with Ark No Mess Feeder Mix; Ark Berry Suet Pellets Robin eating Berry Pellets from a compact feeding tray; Ark Berry Suet Pellets Robin enjoying berry pellets from a ground feeding tray

    Ark Berry Suet Pellets

    From £5.20
    From £5.20
  • Ark Hearty Mealworm Mix; A chaffinch enjoying Ark Hearty Mealworm Mix from an Onxy Seed Feeder; Ark Hearty Mealworm Mix being enjoyed by a Coal Tit, from an Onxy Seed Feeder

    Ark Hearty™ Mealworm Mix

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  • Classic Mealworm Bird Suet Feast Blocks

    Classic Mealworm Suet Feast Blocks

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  • Live Mealworms for Birds; Live Mealworms; Blackbird feeding on Live Mealworms

    Live Mealworms

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    From £9.25
  • Ark Suet Balls with Insects; Bowl of Ark Suet Balls; Feeding Ark Suet Balls in the garden

    Ark Suet Balls with Insects

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    From £4.75
  • Ark Hearty Suet Mix

    Ark Hearty™ Suet Mix

    From £6.10
    From £6.10
  • Classic Suet Feast Blocks

    Classic Insect Suet Feast Blocks

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  • Calcium Worms

    Dried Calcium Worms

    From £4.10
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  • Ark Mealworm Suet Pellets; Young Blackbird enjoying mealworm suet pellets; Ark Mealworm Suet Pellets

    Ark Mealworm Suet Pellets

    From £5.20
    From £5.20
Goldfinch Bird perched on a bird feeder filled with seeds against a green background

How do I Feed Birds Safely?

Feeding birds safely comes down to a few simple habits that make a big difference.

Start with hygiene. Clean feeders (weekly) using a suitable disinfectant, and allow them to dry fully before refilling. Rince and refill bird baths with fresh tap water (daily). The chlorine keeps the water safe for birds to drink and bathe in.

Next, think about space. Avoid clustering feeders too closely together. Spread them out to reduce contact between birds.

Rotate feeding areas where possible. This prevents waste and droppings building up in one place.

Most importantly, stay observant. If you notice signs of illness, such as lethargy, fluffed feathers, or difficulty swallowing - stop feeding immediately. Clear the area, clean everything thoroughly, and wait (2-4 weeks) until birds appear healthy again before restarting.

These small actions help reduce risk while allowing you to continue supporting the birds that rely on your garden.

Learn More Here
  • Ark's Top Picks

    Easy Clean Bird Feeders

    Make feeding simpler and safer with easy-clean bird feeders. Designed for quick maintenance, they help reduce disease risk, keep food fresh, and support healthier birds with less effort every day. Designed for quick disassembly and hassle-free cleaning.

  • Range of Apollo Feeders

    Apollo Seed Feeders

    From £24.95
    From £24.95
  • Big Easy Bird Seed Feeders; Woodpecker on Big Easy Bird Feeder; Easy Clean Big Easy Bird Feeder; Standard Big Easy Bird Seed Feeder

    Big Easy Seed Feeders

    From £32.95
    From £32.95
  • Ring-Pull™ Click Niger Feeders on white background

    Ring-Pull™ Click Niger Feeder

    From £21.95
    From £21.95
  • Ring Pull Click Seed Feeder - Range; Ring Pull Click Seed Feeder; Ring Pull Click Seed Feeder; Ring Pull Click Goldfinches

    Ring-Pull™ Click Seed Feeder

    From £21.95
    From £21.95
  • Flo Festival Seed Feeder Range; Flo Festival Seed Feeder with goldfinch; Flo Festival Seed Feeder with greenfinch; Flo Festival Seed Feeder with garden

    Flo™ Festival Seed Feeders

    From £39.95
    From £39.95
  • flo Lifetime Seed Feeders; flo Lifetime Seed Feeder click to clean; flo Lifetime seed feeders all metal parts; flo Lifetime Standard Seed Feeder

    Flo™ Lifetime Seed Feeders

    From £29.95
    From £29.95
wildlife expert Sean McMenemy in his garden

Sean Says:

Small actions make a BIG difference for our garden birds.

The Solution: ✨ FEED. CARE. PROTECT. ✨

👍 FEED - birds responsibly.
👍 CARE - enough to notice when something’s wrong.
👍 PROTECT - them by acting quickly when it matters.

Learn More Here

More guides to help you support garden birds

Collection of bird feeders on a grassy background

How to Clean Bird Feeders

Read more
Goldfinch Bird perched on a bird feeder filled with seeds against a green background

How to Feed Birds Responsibly

Read more
Three small birds perched on a person's hand with a blurred natural background

What NOT to Feed Wild Birds?

Read more
Yellow siskin bird perched on a bird feeder with a blurred green background

Is Feeding Garden Birds Bad? 

Read more
goldfinches flying to a bird feeder with sunflower hearts

Should I Feed Birds in Summer?

Read more
A pair of healthy greenfinches squabbling in a garden

RSPB Summer Bird Feeding Guidance

Read more