The importance of bird feeder hygiene....

This brown rat, Rattus norvegicus, is one of many that can be seen tucking into the spilt food and breaching the defenses of the various feeders at London Wetland Centre.

Of course at LWC rats are a healthy part of the ecosystem and a delicious food source for grey herons and raptors. In your front garden they may be less.....acceptable. Weil's disease is no fun so its important to keep an eye on that spilt food - although your ground feeding birds won't thank you for clearing it away. Birdchick and the Stokes have both been looking at an interesting solution.