Take down bird feeders this summer to cut spread of avian disease, says RSPB

The RSPB advises that garden birds should not be fed seeds and nuts during the summer months to reduce the spread of avian diseases. Bird feeders should be taken down between May and October, and replaced with small amounts of mealworms, fat balls, or suet. This recommendation aims to protect birds like the greenfinch, which has seen a decline in numbers due to trichomonosis, a parasitic disease that spreads more easily when birds gather around feeders.