It may be a little late to start feeding birds this winter, but it is a great time to plan to get ready to feed the birds in late spring and summer. The birds have a much easier time finding natural food in their environment in the warmer months. However, they will make use of bird feeders in spring, summer and in the fall and winter. You can start now to learn which feeder would be right for your situation, which bird seed will attract birds to your feeders and where to position your feeder.
A hopper feeder is a common type of feeder. It is a platform with walls and a small roof. A tube feeder holds small seeds like thistle or nyjer seeds especially popular with finches and is supposed to be out of the reach of squirrels. Suet feeders are cages that hold suet cakes that are made up of fat.
You will want feeders with a good-sized capacity especially during snow or ice storms. Squirrels are a problem for people who like to feed the birds. There are many types of feeders that will discourage our friends, the squirrels. Remember, they are hungry too.
In my opinion, in general, black oil sunflower seed is the best seed to start with. It will attract many birds like cardinals, chickadees, finches, sparrows and nuthatches. Seed mixes are popular, and they are generally less expensive than black oil sunflower seed. Read the packages carefully because there are different seed mixes for different parts of the country. Also consider suet, a great supplement for birds. It is made of animal fat and usually mixed with bird seed and served through suet cages.
You will also want to make plans to clean your feeders. They can get very dirty after a few weeks and should be cleaned with hot water and then allowed to dry. Position your feeders throughout your lawn. Try to put the feeder a few feet from a tree. This allows the birds a place to rest and then swoop in to grab a few seeds.
Last but not least, if you choose to feed the birds they will come to depend on your kindness. If you are planning a trip or even a long weekend the birds will need their seed to survive. Check to see if a neighbor would fill your feeders for a few days.
A good source of information on bird feeding is a neighbor or friend that is already feeding the birds. You can look over their feeders, find out where they buy their bird seed and give you a few tips they have learned over the years.
Feeding the birds is a wonderful hobby. Pick up a good bird identification book that will give you information about the birds at your feeder. There are also many books on bird feeding as well as information online. Start gathering your information so you are ready to start this spring.
(Rebecca Ryan is a lifelong resident of and gardener in the Bradford area. She retired from teaching at Bradford Area School District.)
