Birdfeeders

Birds that usually find their food in bushes, shrubs and trees will prefer a bird feeder that is located at least four feet off the ground. There are many, many bird feeders that can be hung or post mounted, but I suggest starting with a hopper bird feeder. There are many different models and looks, but basically, there is a center seed holder, the hopper, with a roof that can be opened for filling and cleaning and a platform around the bottom for the birds to perch on and feed. These hopper bird feeders have two wonderful features. They are large so can hold lots of seed which means you don’t have to fill them every day. Many have hoppers made of plexiglass so you can see the seed level without opening the hopper. Because they are big, they are very bird friendly. A large variety of birds are happy to land on them and feed there comfortably. Even birds who are shy about approaching bird feeders often will visit a hopper feeder. You can put any kind of seed in a hopper bird feeder because the seed is dispensed through slots at the bottom of the hopper, but we keep ours filled with black oil sunflower seeds. You can certainly also add millet or corn as well. There are models that are squirrel proof as well.

Occasionally, someone says they put up a hanging tube bird feeder and no birds approached it for weeks. I couldn’t understand how this would happen until a woman who lives out in the agricultural area of California told me her story. She also put up a hanging tube bird feeder and had no takers. She realized that not many people in her area had bird feeders and there is lots of natural food available to birds. Maybe birds just didn’t know what that tube feeder was. She then put out a basic platform feeder on the ground and kept adding tasty treats to it like bread crumbs, fruit, peanuts, sunflower seeds, etc. It didn’t take long for birds to approach this feeder and become comfortable with feeding there. Finally, a finch landed on the tube feeder and discovered the black oil sunflower seeds. After that, it didn’t take long for other birds to figure it out and she ended up with a large following of birds. The lesson here is if one thing doesn’t work, try something else! I have a friend that began attracting birds to his yard by simply spreading peanut butter on the branches of a tree.

It’s time to think about Spring planting, so let’s consider plants that birds love. We are working on getting rid of all the weeds that the rains have brought us, but want to start planning the new additions to our yard. Last year we didn’t plant giant sunflowers and I really missed them, so they are high on the list for this year. They add dramatic color and as the seeds develop, the birds love them. Other annuals to consider are amaranthus, cosmos, zinnia and marigolds. Fruiting trees and shrubs such as blueberry, cherry and crabapple are really favorites, but when planting these, know that you will be sharing the crop with the birds. Cherry trees are great for attracting all sorts of birds, but you may get very few cherries yourself! As the weather gets hotter, a bird bath will be a big draw for your yard as well. We have two, one hanging and one at ground level and on warm days both are visited regularly. I love watching various birds splashing away and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Ground feeders often approach the low bird bath and hanging bird bath is constantly busy with finches, jays, towhees, chickadees, etc.

To successfully attract birds to a yard, it must have food, water and shelter. Using a variety of bird feeders to hold different seeds will certainly attract a variety of birds and having some sort of water source, a bird bath, a plant saucer, etc. will easily satisfy the first two needs, but offering shelter is more difficult, but just as important. Birds are constantly on the look out for predators and hawks are always a threat. A yard that is completely open with no shrubs or trees nearby will probably appear too dangerous to visit often. On the other hand, a yard that has some tall grass or weeds, a brush pile, shrubs, various trees and even buildings will be inviting. Offering an area with shelter from bad weather, a place to sleep and good hiding places is bound to be frequented by many birds. The added bonus is that if birds are really comfortable with full bird feeders, clean water and plenty of shelter, you are likely to be lucky enough to have nests built nearby. We have a mature tall hedge that is quite busy every spring. Last year we had 4 nests and there is quite a bit of activity out there right now. In a matter of weeks, the new chicks will be learning to eat from the bird feeders and that is great fun to watch!

It’s time to stock your yard with nest building materials which will draw lots of birds in to explore your offerings. Suet bird feeders are perfect for this. There are all sorts of things to collect from around your house for this purpose. Start with dryer lint, pieces of string and yarn (not too long), pieces of straw, short strips of cloth, even dog and cat hair. Stuff it all in a suet bird feeder and see how quickly the birds will find it, especially if it is on the end of a known bird feeder. If it is a suet cage that you just hang for this purpose, it will take a little longer, but they will find it. It’s great fun to see which items are picked by each bird. If you watch carefully as they fly off, you may be able to discover the location of a nest. Ah yes, I love spring!

Are you a bird watcher or a birder? I think I am both, although many people prefer one term or the other. In general, a bird watcher loves to spend time just watching and enjoying birds, usually in the backyard, but often out on walks specifically to find birds. Observing bird feeders to figure out which feeder suits which birds is certainly important and we tend to put up multiple bird feeders to encourage a variety of birds to frequent our yards. A birder will also have bird feeders, but generally is more avid and interested in seeing and listing as many species as possible. This can include travel plans with the express desire of seeing more species. I personally know some people who are quite hung up on the terms, but I say, what difference does it make? Let’s just relax and enjoy the good weather, the birds beginning to mate and build nests, the Orioles returning and the spring flowers blooming!

Bird watching is considered to be the number 1 spectator sport in North America! It is second to only gardening as the favorite leisure activity and hey, why can’t we do both at the same time? While most of these people are watching birds that they have encouraged to come to their backyard bird feeders, more and more people are grabbing their binoculars and field guides and venturing out to find different birds. I have a good friend who started a few years ago with one bird feeder in her yard and now not only has several, but right now is in Africa on a bird watching adventure. In most communities there are many bird watching hikes sponsored by local birding clubs. We regularly go on 2-4 hour trips going to the shore, in forests, near rivers, etc. We love watching “our” birds at our backyard bird feeders, but what a thrill it is to go out and see a bird you have never seen before. Then you decide to start a Life List - hooked!!

If you are like me, you have an oriole feeder for nectar, but haven’t yet invested in one that also holds oranges. I just found an inexpensive way to offer orange halves without buying a new oriole feeder. Start with one of those plastic set of 6 rings that hold together a 6 pack of soda cans. Wash and dry it thoroughly. Cut an orange in half and wedge one of the pieces of orange into one of the rings. Cut off all the empty rings except one and use the empty one to hang the new oriole feeder over a branch. Couldn’t be easier or cheaper! The Orioles are arriving now (or soon depending on where you live), so this is the perfect time to try this. If ants are a problem, rub the plastic with cooking oil - should keep them off.

Birds need grit to help with digestion. Therefore, they eat small pebbles, sand, whatever they find the suits this purpose. A wonderful addition to their diet is crushed eggshells. We love to have a big breakfast on weekends, so we always save those eggshells. After breakfast, I wash the shells thoroughly, pat them dry, then let them air dry for a while. When very dry, we simply crush the shells into tiny pieces, either by hand or with a rolling pin. Along with any other table scraps, these eggshells are put in one of our platform feeders. I like to put them in the platform feeder that is on the ground so all the birds can get some.

I don’t normally talk about a specific product, but this really is a good solution to the squirrel problem. I had someone ask me what to do in their yard. They have lots of trees and have nice bird feeders hanging nearby. For the first time, squirrels have invaded their yard. We both felt baffles would fail for they don’t have enough open space to keep the squirrels away from the feeders. They are particularly fond of a large brushed copper bird feeder that they don’t want to give up. The perfect solution is a Twirl-A-Squirrel. This is hung above their brushed copper bird feeder. The squirrel’s weight on the bird feeder activates the motor which gently spins him off. It doesn’t harm the squirrel and is easy to install. It operates on 3 D size batteries and can be used on any hanging bird feeder. It’s effective and fun to watch.