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The fastest way to a bird's heart is definitely through their stomach. Put up abackyard bird feeder and birds will certainly come to feed in your yard.Where you live determines what you'll see because of differences in birds'range and habitat preferences. As words spread about your feeder, the kindsof birds and the size of crowd will increase. Even if you live in the city whereit seems pigeons and house sparrows are the only birds on earth, you'll getsurprise visitors that find your food or stop in on migration.
Top 10 Frequently Asked Backyard Birding Questions.
1. Why aren't there any birds at my feeder? Birds are seasonal creatures of habit. Some species that eat seed at your feeder all winter long switch toinsects or fruit during the spring and summer. And most birds take the bulk of their diet from natural sources of food, rather than at our feeders. So thegoldfinches that stayed around until May may be off eating weed and flower seeds in nearby meadows. A healthy natural crop of seeds, berries, fruits,and insects is most likely the answer. Be patient, and the birds will return toyour feeders once the natural food stores begin to dwindle. One finalpossibility: a predator may be stalking around your feeder, forcing the birdsinto hiding. Look for a cat or hawk in your yard if your birds disappear all of asudden.2. How can I keep squirrels from cleaning out my bird feeders? The bestsolution is to prevent these clever critters from getting to your feeders in thefirst place. A quality pole-mounted baffle, suspended below your feeder,should prevent invasion from the ground. A smooth metal or plastic baffleplaced above the feeder should prevent assault from the air, but you mustmake sure that your feeders are placed far from any object from which thesquirrels can launch themselves. A squirrel leaping from a tree to your feeder will put the Flying Wallendas to shame. Last resort? Offer whole ears of feedcorn, or whole kernels in a squirrel-friendly feeder far from your bird feeders.You may lure them away with this, their favorite food.3. Should I take down my hummingbird feeder in the fall so the hummersknow to migrate? It's a myth that a hummingbird, or any bird for that matter,will stick around a feeder and neglect to migrate. As much as we'd like tothink we're in control of the birds at our feeders, we aren't. Instinct andhormonal urges are what drive birds to migrate, and hummers are nodifferent. Besides, there are good reasons to leave your hummingbird feeder up in the fall. It offers late migrant hummers a refueling spot, long after mostnectar-producing flowers have ceased blooming. I leave my feeders up untilthe nights get too cold for the solution to remain unfrozen. I've never had asuper-late hummer, but I want to be ready if one appears.4. Will the birds starve if I quit feeding them? No, birds have wings and are
experts at using them to move around looking for a source of food. Birdshave evolved over the eons to be highly mobile. Even sedentary speciessuch as the northern cardinal are adept at finding food. Our feeding stationsare more of a convenience than a necessity to most birds. In extremely badwinter weather, our feeders are more helpful, because natural sources of food can be hard to find. Nature has given birds the tools they need to findfood for themselves, so when you go on a winter vacation, don't worry aboutthe birds at your feeders. It would be nice if you can have a neighbor tend toyour feeders, but most of the birds will do just fine for a while without your help.5. There's a bald bird at my feeder. What happened to it? Birds use their billsand feet to preen all sorts of nasty stuff out of their feathers - dirt, excess oil,mites, lice, ticks. But the one place a bird can't preen very well is its ownhead (sort of like that place in the middle of your back that itches, but youcan't reach). When a bird, such as a cardinal, gets an infestation of feather mites, it can't get rid of all the feather-eating pests on its head. Combine thiswith a bird's annual late-summer feather molt (when most songbirds lose andreplace almost all of their feathers gradually), and you may see a bird with nofeathers on its head or neck. Until the new feathers grow in, the bird isseemingly bald. A bald cardinal looks black-headed because its dark skin isrevealed in the absence of feathers.6. How do I discourage the (choose one) doves, blackbirds, house finches atmy feeders? There are two things to consider when you wish to discourage acertain group of birds at your feeders: food and feeder. Stop offering the foodthat the pest birds seem to consume most eagerly. For blackbirds this maybe corn or mixed seed. For doves, it's mixed seed, containing milo, millet,wheat, and other grains. To discourage house finches, shorten the percheson your tube feeders, or order a special house-finch-proof feeder that hasthe feeding holes below the perches (goldfinches and siskins will hangupside down to feed, but most house finches won't). As for feeders, stopoffering food on the ground or on large platform feeders to discourage dovesand blackbirds. Tube and satellite feeders are hard for them to negotiate. Todiscourage house finches, offer a limited amount of black-oil sunflower seedin a small satellite feeder, one that chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, andgoldfinches can visit one at a time.7. What's the best birdseed to use to get the maximum number of birds? For most of North America, black-oil sunflower seed works best for variety anduniversal acceptance. However, in the Southwest mixed seed containing miloseems to work best. Ask a local expert at a specialty bird store or at your seed supplier which foods work best in your region and climate.8. Is peanut butter bad for birds? Will it stick to the roof of their beaks? Thistopic is hotly debated, but there is no scientific evidence one way or the
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Bird Feeders
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| Category: | Uncategorized. |
| Rating: | (4 Ratings) |
| Upload Date: | 01/14/2008 |
| Copyright: | Attribution Non-commercial |
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I love to feed the birds year round! However, I have a problem with those ugly gracklings! They are hogs! Can eat everything in a whole feeder that looks like a Barn in 2 hours. The top lifts up to put feed in it. It has a spring on it to adjust for larger birds. It does not do ANY GOOD! The ugly grackles just sit on it sideways and sling the food out. And poof at least 4 pounds of bird feed is gone in an hour ,or two. The only solution I have found so far is to feed safflower seed. The black birds do not like it! But the price has went up so high on it, I cannot afford it! I have spent hundreds of dollars on feeders to no avail. They used to make the Barn feeder years ago without that darn spring! And it worked great. In retrospect I wish I had just repainted my old one and kept it! It definitely went down when a blackbird or bluejay got on it. The bluejays can eat whats left on the ground! But I need to find a way to feed the song birds. Especially Cardinals. And they are spooked so easily! If anyone can help I would really appreciate it! Because I can no longer enjoy feeding the birds! Thank-You! Sherry