Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Get Outside: Feed the Birds

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag...
- Mary Poppins

Well, I have no idea how much a tuppence is, but it's money well spent if you're feeding the birds. Feeding backyard birds is a great activity -- you and your chippamunk will have an opportunity to observe feathered friends up close and personal, with the right bird feeder and seed.

Although wintertime is the most common time to feed birds, spring is great too. Birds are getting ready to nest and will appreciate the extra calories

It's an easy and inexpensive activity, but it's worth knowing a few basics. Certain types of birds like certain types of seed, and certain types of feeders.
  • The simplest set up that attracts the most variety of birds is a hanging feeder that accomodates black oil sunflower seed. Cardinals, chickadees, titmice, finches, woodpeckers, and many more love black oil sunflower seed. If you're going to have one feeder and one type of seed, this is definitely it.
  • A hanging feeder specially designed for tiny niger thistle seeds will attract all sorts of finches.
  • A suet feeder will attract woodpeckers, chickadees, and more. Suet is especially beneficial in the wintertime, when the birds need the extra fat. You can make your own suet, or spread peanutbutter on a pinecone, or in holes partially drilled in a board.
  • A platform feeder or a tray feeder near the ground filled with a seed mix including millet will attract juncoes, doves, sparrows and other ground feeders. Caution, many bird seed mixes contain lots of millet as a filler. Unless you're specifically trying to attract these ground feeders, stick to mixes with mostly black oil sunflower seed.
  • Safflower seed attracts cardinals and grosbeaks.
  • Blackbirds love corn
  • Jays love peanuts
  • You can get a special feeder that hold sugar water and will attract hummingbirds.
  • Orioles will dine on oranges sliced in half.
Take care, and keep your feeder clean. Check for mold, and occasionally wash down with hot, soapy water. Rinse well. If the feeder was very dirty, or you've noticed sick birds, wash down with 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.

'hopper' feederhanging feeder

Here are a few of the most common backyard birds:
Downy woodpecker
Goldfinch
Tree sparrow (you are free to call any little tiny brown stripey bird a sparrow)
Chickadee
Cardinal

Now go outside!
Anna

No comments:

Post a Comment