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Setting up your own feeding station? Here is some advice on using bird feeders. This should cover the basics on feeding birds: what type of feeder to use, the kind of food to buy, the ideal spot for the feeder, when to feed and tips on offering some form of security for your visitors. . Choose the right feeder. Picking the right feeder can be tricky business. There are lots of types to choose from. The main things you should consider though are the durability, size, and the ease of assembly and maintenance. The ideal feeder should be strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, able to keep seeds dry, large enough to avoid constant refilling of seeds, and easy to take apart and clean. Wooden feeders are easier to make and blend into your backyard easily but because of these criteria, the ideal feeder should be made of plastic or metal. As for the type of feeder to use, you also have a wide array to choose from. Tube feeders are somewhat squirrel resistant and can keep the seeds dry. House feeders can also keep the seeds fairly dry but don't do a lot against squirrels. Platform feeders offer no protection at all against the weather and squirrels, however, you should keep in mind that this type of feeder attracts the widest variety of birds. The type of feeder you will use ultimately depends on you. However, to avoid making a rather tough choice, why don't you try using a variety of feeders? This way, you can attract and cater to as many birds as you'd like. . Choose the food. Choosing the kind of food depends on the types of birds you want to attract. Ground feeders usually prefer white millet, oil type sunflower seeds attract tube feeders. Suet placed on tree trunks draw woodpeckers, but also invite starlings. You can try preparing a mixture of bird food, one that has high sunflower seed content and millet. You should remember that certain birds are attracted by certain types of food and that having a wide variety of bird food is a great way to invite a larger number of birds into your backyard. . Pick the ideal spot. Once you've picked the kind of feeder you want to use, you now have to pick the right spot to set up your feeding station. Feeders placed near the ground mostly draw ground-feeders like sparrows and juncos, while feeders situated slightly above ground invite cardinals and other larger birds. Feeders should be placed in a quiet area, at a place easy for you to see and reach, in case of refills. It should also be near natural shelter to protect the birds from strong winds and offer some protection from predators. Though it is important to maintain at least 10 feet distance away from the nearest jump-off points to avoid any squirrels from launching any aerial attack. . Protection. When inviting these feathered friends into your backyard, you should at least provide them with some kind of protection. A great number of birds die each year because of cat attacks, from flying into glass windows and from becoming ill from spoiled food on feeding stations. You should also try to keep squirrels and other critters away to prevent them from scaring away the birds. If you own a cat, you should keep your cat indoors and try to keep them from roaming free and into areas that are important to wildlife conservation. This way, you can avoid catching your cat with its head in a bird feeder. Birds die from flying straight into windows. To avoid this, you can mount screens, bird nettings, or awnings onto your windows. You can also attach streamers to the outside of your windows. To keep the birds who visit your feeders from getting ill, maintain a rigid schedule of cleaning your feeders to avoid having the food contaminated by moldy seeds and bird droppings. Squirrels are a bit of a nuisance. To prevent them from disrupting your birds, install your feeders at areas that aren't prone to squirrel attacks, get some baffles or use squirrel proof bird feeders. You can also try distracting the squirrels by preparing food just for them. Remember, these birds depend on your feeders for food on winter months and early spring. We should try to keep them safe and healthy. . When to feed/feeding schedule. Feeding should start early, at around October and continue on until spring. Birds develop patterns and any interruptions on their food source might discourage them from coming back to your feeders. Try to bear these guidelines in mind when setting up your bird feeding station. I really hope these tips work well for you. Enjoy watching the birds! |
