Feeding Backyard Birds

Technorati Tags: backyard birds, wild birds, winter bird feeding

We previously discussed weaning backyard birds onto your feeder foods. In doing this, you may have noticed that at first, wild birds were busy at your feeders even though you may have not kept them up all day.

Now, you probably find few wild birds at your feeders. This is likely happening because other bird watchers in your area have feeders up – possibly all day.

I myself, have them up from 11:00 until 7:00. Thus, my neighbors are seeing my feathered friends in the morning – I often do not see them until afternoon.

Though food sources (insects, weed seeds, and berries) are still available, you may want to keep feeders up to keep a group of backyard birds at your feeders throughout the day. After all, you have put out the welcome mat, so make them at home.

As for myself, I am keeping my feeders up all day long.

- Craig Curtis

I am Craig Curtis. I am in my early twenties.

My interest in backyard birds began shortly after my German Shepherd “Penny” died when I was a teenager.

There was no life outside the kitchen window.

All I thought of was Penny. I wanted to see life outside the window. Then, I noticed the makeshift birdbath outside in the flowerbed and the birds that came around to it.

I bought a feeder along with food and a new pair of binoculars, and before long, I moved on from Penny’s death. I now have five feeders and birdbaths that are more appropriate and I have become quite familiar with my backyard birds.

Now I feed backyard birds for the simple pleasures they bring. They are charming, funny and beautiful. I like the unique characteristics of each species of birds. I find their unique personalities captivating and their antics humorous. They really are our feathered friends.

They may not literally say “Thank You” for the food or water that we provide, but somehow our feathered friends return our favor with the peace of mind and joy they bring.

When researching the benefits of feeding backyard birds for each season, I noticed that many bird watchers and enthusiasts stress that feeding wild birds is for mere pleasure. Frankly, I disagree with this view. Although I take whole-hearted pleasure in feeding backyard birds myself, I realize the struggle wild birds face from season to season, and I want you to realize this too.

I live in a rapidly developing rural area in South Central Pennsylvania, which – unfortunate for backyard bird’s habitat – is becoming suburban. Behind our house, expensive homes replace farm fields and wood patches. Down the road, several fields are being developed and commercialized. Factories, strip malls, shopping centers, and car dealerships have replaced yet more acres of adjacent farmland.

More development means less and less food and shelter for wild birds. This is not just happening in my locale, it is happening in yours and all across the globe. For this reason, keep in mind when you put out feed, you really are helping our feathered friends survive each day.

Remember, feeding backyard birds is not just for mere pleasure, but also for the benefit of backyard birds.

-Craig

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If you have ever seen a bald Northern Cardinal,
you may have thought he was a victim of conflict.

We notice the beautiful plumage of the American Goldfinch which is
acquired by yearly molting, but we never see them bald as a result.

Yet, the Northern Cardinal does occasionally go bald because of a molting of feathers! Most occurrences of molting leave a Cardinal with a bad hair day, but this feathered friend of mine was not so fortunate.

-Craig

I first spotted this beautiful Rock Dove right at one of my bird baths. This is the first time that I have ever seen this species in my backyard, and it was quite a treat.

You will notice in this cropped picture (although having a distracting glare) an arrow focuses on an identification band. Unfortunately, no ID number is visible.

But this does give evidence of some researchers tracking this particular dove.

-Craig

Over this past late spring, I have noticed robins and wrens nesting in our yard.

One robin has nested over a spotlight which lies under an attic vent. Once the chicks were raised, the mother left the nest, and before we could remove the abandoned nest, a new mother robin moved in to an old nest!

This also took place with a mother wren that nested in a nest box by our thin wood line. After her young were raised, she left, and a second wren moved in to that same nest.

That saves time, energy, and materials! Similar to what many people are striving to do to help the environment.

 - Craig Curtis

Technorati Tags: backyard birds, nest

Feeding migratory birds in Summer – Why bird watchers love it

While the early weeks of spring ushered many beloved migratory birds, many bird watchers favor Summer bird feeding because the bird activity reaches its peak as late Spring migration brings the rest of our backyard birds to their destination. This peak brings a flourishing variety of birds with beautiful bold colors, unique characteristics and mating rituals.

To many, this wonderful variety makes summer the most exciting and rewarding bird feeding season. If having this great variety is your focus, by all means, if you provide the right foods, add water and shelter – and live in the locale of a migration route – you’ll find much excitement and have a rewarding time observing the many colorful birds that arrive in your backyard.

What’s the benefit of Summer bird feeding?

As of my locale, (South Central Pennsylvania) my backyard has seen four migratory birds species. This may be partly due to the limited variety of foods that I provide.

Therefore, from my personal experience, I feel that the most important thing to a bird during summer is water.

Consider this for a moment:

Summer often means grueling temperatures across the globe. It detrimentally affects people, many even to the point of death. Would it not be the same for our backyard birds?

Not only do birds need to drink, they also need to bathe. Not so much because of being dirty, but because of the heat that builds up within the numerous layers of feathers. This trapped heat likely builds their body temperature quickly.

Although many bird watchers focus on providing food in Summer, water may be more beneficial. It’s not food that releases the heat from their wings, only water can cool them down. Birds naturally receive heat from the energy their food produces, and from the sun. With this heat naturally upon them, our feathered friends need relief.

So you can benefit wild birds by providing numerous sources of water. Remember to keep the water fresh. If the water is lukewarm, you’re not as likely to relieve your feathered friends of this heat.

That’s not to say that food is not important to our backyard birds. If, for instance, the migratory birds arriving in your yard are not native to your locale, feeding them is vital because the natural food sources in your yard are not native to their diet. If however, the migratory birds are native – having reached their breeding grounds – providing food only serves the purpose of pleasure. In such a case, providing fresh numerous water sources is most beneficial for Summer backyard bird feeding.

- Craig Curtis

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