Whether a flock of the much-coveted evening grosbeaks or eastern bluebirds shows up at a feeder in Pine Township or in Murrysville, it’s all about getting them there.

And with tech-like smart feeders with artificial intelligence and embedded cameras, alongside planting native greenery for birds and buying specialized seed mixes, one can turn a backyard into an avian hot spot.

Sales of bird feeders and increasingly tech-savvy accessories have soared beyond a COVID-19 pandemic bump.

The market for wild bird products continues to fly high — valued at about $5 billion worldwide in 2021 — with growth predicted to reach $6.4 billion by 2028, according to Introspective Market Research.

“We need the birds more than they need us,” said Jim Bonner, executive director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, which sells bird feeders and locally formulated Beechwood Blend bird seed at three locations.

Only 10% to 20% of birds’ diets come from bird feeders, said Bonner. They mostly forage to find native food.

Many current models aimed at keeping that percentage up sport added devices for squirrel busting — a well-used verb in the birding lexicon.

Squirrel Buster feeders are calibrated to shut off food for weighty, unwanted visitors such as the North American gray squirrel.

If the exclusion of species is your thing, there are more feeder options.

“Probably one in three feeders we sell have some kind of deterrent associated with it,” he added.

Smart feeders

And now not only can you ensure your food’s protection, you can also feed, photograph, identify, receive alerts and share images and videos using smart bird feeders such as Bird Buddy, BirdKiss and more.

Bill Powers of Murrysville straddles the traditional and high-tech when it comes to bird-feeding equipment.

His four bird-feeder webcams feature daily visits by pileated woodpeckers and a smorgasbord of food for a variety of bird species.

He owns PixCams, which operates 40 live-streaming nature webcams. Given his technical expertise in customizing nature webcams, developers of new AI smart bird feeders send models to him to test.

“When they first came out, I thought it was going to be a novelty,” Powers said. “Now there are more brands and I know people who have bought them.”

These new feeders are autonomous, using a camera, batteries and a solar panel and needing only a Wi-Fi signal, he said.

“The main advantages are ease of use and being able to share your bird photos,” Powers said. “We live in a mobile age where we expect to share information quickly with our phone.”

While the technology is helpful and fun, Bonner noted that many people get to know the birds in their backyard pretty quickly. “I’m not sure about going to spend about $200 to tell me there’s a blue jay in my feeder again,” he said.

Old school feeder success

Retired North Allegheny School District teachers Pat and Sherron Lynch, both 77, are old hands at attracting an avian variety to their Pine Township yard.

They keep his-and-hers binoculars at the ready on their kitchen table.

Feeding the birds for about 25 years, the couple have spotted an astounding 162 species on their property, neighboring lands and bird flyovers on their way to North Park.

Their secret: “Putting out food that the birds will like of course and keeping things as clean as you can,” said Pat.

They hedge their bets with different seed mixes and multiple feeders.

The Lynches like millet in the winter to attract a variety of birds and use mealworms for bluebirds. In the spring, they use oranges for orioles, plus other types of bird food.

“I won’t say it’s a cheap form of entertainment, but it is fun,” Pat said. “If I told Sherron what I spent, I’d probably get divorced.”

Feeding au naturel with real food and insects from native trees and shrubbery doesn’t just attract birds, but keeps them around and coming back.

The Lynches own a lot of oaks and black cherry trees that fill with fruit, apple trees, maples and a variety of pines.

Even small trees play a role, Pat said.

“If you want to do something as simple as putting up a bluebird box, the bluebirds need a small tree so the male can sit and watch the place,” he said. “If people have an opportunity to have a pond, that is good too. The sound of the water attracts birds to drink and bathe.”

“Birds still want water when things are frozen,” Bonner said. Heaters and heated bird baths are popular sellers, he added.

And beyond the pleasure of feeder watching comes care for the birds by preventing diseases.

Cleaning the bird feeders once a week with a mild soap is vital. Feeder owners can also dilute bleach 10 to 1 or more or use rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, Bonner said.

“Through the pandemic, we learned a lot about what happens when people get together. It’s the same thing with birds. If one bird around the feeder is carrying a disease, it can be passed on.”