Thank you all who responded to my request for dealing with this situation. Several emailed asking if I would send the responses to them. I'm posting it on Tweeters as well, in case others of you need to clean your birdbaths using something stronger than water. I've included my original question below for reference. In general, it sounds like bleach is the best solution unless we have plants nearby. If that's the case, then trying white vinegar or Simple Green is a good way to go. I started using Simple Green, which completely removed the grease and debris. So far, so good. However, white vinegar also sounds like a good approach. It has good antiseptic and disinfectant qualities (a web search tells a lot about it). Baking soda is great for cleaning and doesn't harm the environment but isn't antiseptic or disinfectant, which the meat requires (wish I could use it. It's the most benign of all options.).

Here are your suggestions --

a.. Use Simple Green, diluted to about half strength, and a good brush. Spray Simple Green on, let set for a minute or two, then scrub using brush. Rinse thoroughly, brushing again to make sure debris and cleaner are completely removed, and then use the hose for a final clear rinse. (per Bird and Exotic Clinic of Seattle).
b.. Bleach can hurt the plants beneath the bath... I prefer to use vinegar. It's a great cleaning agent, natural, and I've never had a problem with it hurting the plants beneath the bath. Another option may be to offer a much smaller birdbath that the crows can't fit onto? But I think you said you aren't trying to discourage the crows... . (Tweeters)
c.. .Use a stiff brush and a white vinegar and water solution. Vinegar has been used for centuries as an antiseptic and disinfectant. We purchase the white monk brand at Costco for a little over a dollar a gallon. Good for many uses in the home as well. (Tweeters)
d.. Our birdbath is similar to yours, and I find cleaning it with baking soda and a brush after emptying it quite effective. Then I rinse it well and refill it. I've been doing this for years with no noticeable harm to the birds and no suds. Doesn't seem to bother the day lilies under it, either. (Tweeters)
e.. Seattle Audubon sells a great brush for cleaning any birdbath, but it is especially great on the kind you have (I have one too). It is quite effective getting between the rocks. I don't know why they "wash" their food, but I have observed this behavior also. (Tweeters)
f.. Rinse the bird bath. Refill the bath with water and enough bleach to make about a 5% solution. (I just pour a dollop of bleach in and figure it's close enough.) Let stand a few minutes. Either stay next to it or cover it so the birds can't get in. Dump, rinse, refill. Bleach can damage some finishes. Don't add the bleach before you add the water. (Tweeters)
g.. Add a couple of capfuls of bleach into the birdbath. Scrub thoroughly with a brush and rinse. (Sarvey Wildlife Rehab)
h.. I realize you don't want to eliminate the crows, but have you considered just keeping them out of the bath? Seems to me you could create some sort of baffle that would eliminate larger birds -- perhaps a dome of plastic or wire mesh that hangs a couple of inches above the bath, or even surround it with a cage whose mesh allows smaller birds to fit through? (Tweeters)
Incidentally, my goal is not to encourage or discourage the crows. As I mentioned in my original email, we create the ideal situations for them flourish in our urban settings. We have only ourselves to blame. I do not feed them. And for those who suggested that I talk with the neighbor who is, I do not know who that person is -- someone out of the ~300 people who lives nearby is doing this. I doubt I'm going to ever find out, unless of course one of the well-fed crows fesses up.
Suzanne


----- Original Message -----
From: Suzanne Krom
To: Tweeters
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2005 11:56 PM
Subject: advice needed -- birdbath-loving crows


I live a couple blocks from a greenbelt that has an exceptionally healthy crow population. Several of them frequent my yard, bringing substantial quantities of chicken (whole legs, thighs, ...) and other meat, bread, peanuts, and other food that a neighbor is apparently providing them. They use my birdbaths to dunk or wash their food, and as a result, the water and surface of the birdbaths are quickly contaminated. Every day I diligently hose them down and use a brush to scrub away the debris. I use no cleaning products. And every day even a few hours after re-filling them the water is filthy with debris and grease from the meat.

First, I'm not interested in eliminating the crows from my yard. I've made my peace with them. And besides, we're the ones who created the perfect environment for them.

So here are my questions --
Why do they need water to eat this food? Are they dunking or cleaning the food? Or ... ?
How do I safely clean my birdbaths without using chemicals that could harm the birds and other animals, and the trees and plants under them. Both birdbaths are made of composite material -- concrete with embedded small stones. Because of their rough exterior, they are hard to clean. And now that summer has given us a hint of what's to come, this water is likely to rapidly become unsafe for any animal to use as temperatures continue to rise.

Thank you for any help you can provide.
Suzanne Krom
West Seattle