Aflatoxins in Bird Seed

I would love to take credit for this posting, but the truth be known, I stole the idea from Penny Miller's blog, "A Charm of Finches." (Click on her link at right.) It is very good information and I wanted to pass it on.
Many, many of us enjoy feeding birds in our backyards. it may be for the opportunities to see a new species, the sheer relaxation of kicking back and just watching their antics, or just providing a little something extra to help them out. Some people only feed during the winter, some just during the spring when nest building takes place and many, like my wife and I, feed year round.
It is just as important to keep your feeders clean in the summer as it is in the winter. Wild Bird Rescue has been receiving doves (especially White-winged Doves) coming to us extremely emaciated. We have checked for trich, but there is no sign. The best guess from symptoms is aflatoxin from a fungus that grows in seed when it is hot and humid -- the perfect description of our weather over the past month. Although the humidity is starting to drop, it is still unusually humid in our area.
Store your seed in a clean, dry place, if possible. Clean and disinfect your feeders weekly. this will help prevent aflatoxins and other diseases that pass from bird to bird.
Also, many of you are trying to attract hummingbirds. The sugar water mixtures we feed are very prone to breeding harmful bacteria, expecially in the heat. Replace your nectar every three days, preferably before it develops a cloudy appearance. Clean and disinfect at least once a week. If you feel you are throwing away a lot of sugar water, mix only half as much at a time.
In addition to the information Penny provided in her blog, many of the people who have brought us the sick birds have commented that they observed them down in their yard 3 to 5 days before they realized something was wrong. If a wild bird does not fly away when you approach, there is something wrong. Please don't wait so long before you bring them to us. Aflatoxin is treatable with supportive care. The sooner we start that care, the better chance we have of sending them back into the wild.
We all enjoy watching birds in our yard. In return, we should do our best to keep them healthy.