Can birds catch diseases from birdbaths?

Unclean conditions, mosquitos and crowding at birdbaths can increase the transmission of diseases like house finch eye disease, salmonellosis and avian pox. 

Birdbaths can also spread avian flu, though song birds are less likely to contract it than wild birds and poultry. Bird-to-human flu transmission is also rare, but people can still catch it from direct exposure to sick or dead birds. 

To keep birdbaths clean, replace the water every other day and scrub the bath with a vinegar-water solution, the Audubon Society says. A small fountain can be installed to deter mosquitos, which do not typically lay eggs in running water. 

Summer and fall are peak seasons for mosquitos and disease, while Colorado’s peak bird migration season typically lasts from April to May. Roughly 13 million birds have crossed into Colorado so far this year, including species like the snowy egret, marbled godwit and Wilson’s phalarope.