Hi Cheril,

During the summer, it's comes down to whether or not you want to feed the birds. The birds do not need us to feed them at any time of year, even in winter, as surprising as that might seem. They are very good at finding resources across the landscape.

Feeding birds is about drawing them to a specific location (usually our backyards) so we can enjoy seeing them. We should, however, be aware that feeding birds also means we need to provide safe spaces for them in our backyards, so we aren't attracting them to unsafe areas. This includes cleaning out bird feeders weekly (or more often in the case of hummingbird feeders), protecting birds from window collisions, and keeping cats indoors during the day (while birds are feeding at the feeder). If you would like more information about any of the above, please let me know, and I'm happy to chat more.

If you are asking in relation to avian influenza, then it is still ok to feed birds if you don't have own and care for poultry. If you do, then it is not recommended. If your neighbors own poultry, it's also best not to feed birds in your backyard. According to the National Wildlife Disease Program, there is currently a low risk of an outbreak among wild songbirds, and no official recommendation to take down feeders unless you also keep domestic poultry. More information about this can be found here.

Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for reaching out today!

Marne Titchenell