About Bird Feeding

Whether or not you are a bird watcher, it can be a fun and educational experience to have birds come feed in your backyard. Different feeds and feeders will attract different types of birds, so if you know how to feed correctly, you can draw an assortment to your backyard. If you have never fed birds before or want to improve upon your feeding methods, this information may help you make your birds even happier.

Just like you have your favorite foods, birds do as well. Different feeds will attract different species. Bird seed mixes, commonly composed of sunflower seeds, millet, milo, cracked corn, and wheat, can attract a variety of species. Most chickadees, nuthatches, finches, cardinals, grosbeaks, sparrows, blackbirds, jays, woodpeckers and titmice all like sunflower seeds, so a seed mix will certainly attract these birds as well as others. Suet will attract birds that like to eat insects. Because suet is high in fat, it is a great energy source for birds in the winter  If you want hummingbirds to visit your backyard, try making some nectar  A simple solution of one part sugar to four parts boiling water will do the drink. Just be sure to change the nectar every three to five days, as mold can grow in the mixture.

Bird feeders are also important when attracting birds. Tray or platform feeders have flat surfaces that allow the seed to be spread out. Covered feeders or those with drainage holes are preferable to prevent water from spoiling the seed. When these types of feeders are placed near ground level, juncos, doves, and sparrows are attracted. House or hopper feeders look like tiny houses in which the seed in enclosed by the walls of the feeder. A wide variety of birds are attracted to these feeders, so they are very good choices. Just be sure to change the seed frequently, as if it is wet out the seed can easily mold. Tube feeders are often rectangular or cylindrical in shape and have perches on the outside for birds to sit.  These are great at keeping seed dry and the size of the perch can prevent large unwanted birds from raiding the feeder. Suet cages are designed to hold suet cakes but suet can also be placed in an onion bag and hung from a tree. Nectar feeders are designed to hold nectar that is dispensed through small holes at the base of the feeder. Just be sure to clean the feeder out with water when you put new nectar in to prevent any mold growth that could be hazardous to the birds.