Many people enjoy feeding birds in their backyard. It provides entertainment and a connection with nature. However, there are some important factors to consider when deciding whether or not to put out bird feeders. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons, best practices, types of food, and other considerations around backyard bird feeding.
Quick Answers
– Feeding birds can benefit certain species, especially in winter when food is scarce. However, overfeeding can also cause harm if not done properly.
– Bird feeders must be kept clean and free of mildew and parasites. Diseases can spread between birds at crowded feeders.
– Black oil sunflower seeds are a good all-around food for many common backyard birds. Suet provides fat and energy.
– Only put out enough food that birds will completely eat in a day or two to prevent spoilage. Adjust amounts seasonally.
– Certain birds like squirrels, doves, and starlings may monopolize feeders, limiting access for smaller native species. Use selective bird feeders to discourage them.
– Consider water sources like bird baths as well as habitat elements like brush piles to help attract birds.
Pros of Feeding Birds
There are several potential benefits that come from supplementing birds’ diets with backyard bird feeders:
– **Provides enjoyment:** Watching colorful songbirds visit feeders and observing their interesting behaviors and interactions can bring joy. It connects people with nature.
– **Supplements birds’ nutrition:** Bird feed can provide fuel and energy to help birds survive during cold winters when natural food is limited. Access to feed may improve health and survival.
– **Attracts new bird species:** Offering a variety of foods may attract new species to your yard that otherwise might not visit as often. This diversity makes bird watching more interesting.
– **Encourages breeding:** Well-fed birds are more likely to have enough energy to produce eggs and raise young. Feeders may help some species successfully breed.
– **Aids migration:** High-energy seed and suet can help migrating birds refuel during their long journeys. Backyards along migration routes provide important fueling stations.
– **Easier bird watching:** Having a dedicated bird feeding area in the yard allows for close-up observations. Photographing, identifying, and noting behaviors of birds is more convenient.
– **Educational opportunities:** Bird feeding can help teach children and others about local wildlife. They can learn to identify common species and understand ecosystems.
Examples of Birds that Benefit
– Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches – enjoy black oil sunflower seeds from tube feeders
– Finches – eat nyjer thistle seed from specialized feeders
– Orioles – enjoy orange halves, jelly, and nectar
– Woodpeckers – eat suet from bird feeders
– Cardinals, grosbeaks – prefer sunflower hearts and chunks
Cons of Feeding Birds
While bird feeding certainly can have advantages, there are some downsides to consider as well:
– **Spread of disease:** Crowded conditions at bird feeders and droppings accumulating underneath can spread diseases. Salmonella, avian pox, trichomonosis, and more can transmit between birds.
– **Too much artificial food:** Birds may grow dependent on feeders, forgetting how to forage naturally. Feeders provide incomplete nutrition lacking vitamins from natural sources.
– **Death from window collisions:** Birds may fly into windows when trying to reach feeders on the other side of glass. Placement near windows should be avoided.
– **Predators congregate:** Outdoor cats and predatory birds like hawks may lurk around feeders waiting for an easy meal. Feeders can attract predators to prey on birds.
– **Non-native species:** Aggressive birds like European starlings, house sparrows, and doves often take over feeders, outcompeting native birds. They may spread rapidly.
– **Rodents and bears:** Seeds that fall to the ground under feeders can attract squirrels, mice, rats, raccoons, bears, and other pests. These animals may cause property damage.
– **Artificial congregation:** Grouping birds unnaturally at feeders may increase aggression and competition as they fight over limited resources. Unhealthy pecking orders could form.
– **Messiness:** Seed hulls, spoiled food, and bird droppings may accumulate under feeders. This requires cleaning and can be slippery or unattractive. Rot can lead to bad odors.
Examples of Problems
– House sparrows displacing bluebirds from nest boxes
– Squirrels chewing through plastic feeders to steal seed
– Crows scaring smaller birds away from feeders
– Ants swarming and collecting bird seed on ground
– Starlings spreading diseases at crowed platform feeder
Best Practices
To maximize the benefits of feeding birds while minimizing any potential downsides, experts recommend the following best practices:
– **Provide clean water:** A bird bath or water feature gives birds a place to drink, bathe, and preen. Make sure to change water regularly to prevent mosquitoes.
– **Select high-quality bird food:** Choose high-energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds or suet. Avoid cheap “filler” seeds that birds do not prefer.
– **Use specialized feeders:** Tube feeders with small perches or mesh bottoms make it harder for bulky birds to access. Platform tray feeders with weight sensors restrict larger birds.
– **Use squirrel baffles:** Place feeders on poles with cone-shaped plastic baffles to prevent squirrels from climbing up. Keep feeders far from trees and roof edges.
– **Offer a mix of foods:** Cater to various species by providing foods like nyjer seed, peanuts, and millet in addition to standard black oil sunflower.
– **Clean feeders regularly:** Take feeders apart every two weeks and clean with a dilute bleach solution. Rinse thoroughly before refilling. Remove old, wet seed.
– **Limit amount of seed:** Only put out enough food that will get completely eaten each day to prevent spoilage. Adjust quantities by season as bird activity changes.
– **Rotate feeder locations:** Periodically move feeders to different spots in the yard to prevent excessive buildup of waste in one area.
– **Use feeders safely:** Place feeders at least 3 feet from windows and 30 feet from bushes where cats may hide. Choose screened bottoms to allow seed drainage.
Tips to Attract Specific Birds
Goldfinches – Use nyjer feeders placed near small trees or shrubs. Provide fresh water.
Chickadees – Offer black oil sunflower in small hanging tube feeders. They prefer feeders lower than 5 feet high.
Woodpeckers – Hang suet feeders on trees or posts near woods. Also provide suet blocks in mesh bags.
Hummingbirds – Set up a nectar feeder with a sugar-water solution. Place red ribbons or flowers around it.
Orioles – Offer orange halves, grape jelly, or nectar in clear, open dishes near treetops.
Types of Bird Food
There are many types of foods that can be offered to attract backyard birds. Here are some of the most common:
Seeds:
– Black oil sunflower – Nutritious and high in fat. Attracts cardinals, finches, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, grosbeaks. Use in tube feeders or hopper feeders.
– Nyjer / thistle – High in oil with thin shells. Attracts finches. Use special nyjer feeders.
– Safflower – Enjoyed by cardinals, titmice, chickadees, and grosbeaks. Ignored by squirrels and starlings.
– Peanuts – Whole or pieces enjoyed by woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, and jays. Use mesh feeders.
– Millet – Cheap filler seeds that attract doves and sparrows. Scatter on ground.
Suet and Mealworms:
– Suet cakes or plugs – High-fat nourishment perfect in winter. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees eat from feeders.
– Mealworms – Live or dried larvae offering protein. Bluebirds, robins, wrens will eat from platform feeders.
Fruit and Nectar
– Oranges, berries – Draws orioles, tanagers, bluebirds, and others. Skewer halves or offer in open dishes.
– Nectar / sugar water – Made with white sugar and water. Fill hummingbird feeders. Orioles also enjoy.
– Jelly – Grape jelly is irresistible to orioles. Can be offered in open cups.
Food Type | High in | Birds Attracted | Feeder Used |
---|---|---|---|
Black Oil Sunflower | Fat, protein | Chickadees, finches, cardinals, grosbeaks | Tube, hopper |
Nyjer Seed | Oil | Goldfinches, siskins, redpolls | Nyjer sock or tube |
Suet | Fat | Woodpeckers, nuthatches | Suet cage |
Peanuts | Protein, fat | Chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers | Mesh |
Orange halves | Sugar | Orioles, tanagers | Platform, skewer |
Nectar | Sugar | Hummingbirds, orioles | Nectar feeder |
Other Considerations
Here are some other things to keep in mind when maintaining bird feeders:
– **Seasonality:** Birds’ diets and feeding needs change with the seasons. Provide more energy-dense foods and increase feeder capacity in winter. Remove hummingbird feeders if no hummers are around.
– **Water:** Supplying fresh water for drinking and bathing is just as important as food. Make sure bird baths are kept clean and free of ice in winter. Consider adding a fountain or dripper.
– **Shelter:** Brush piles, shrubs, evergreens, and roosting boxes provide cover from weather and predators. Birds appreciate a place to perch and hide near feeders.
– **Nesting spots:** Leave dead trees intact and install nest boxes to give birds a place to raise young. Nesting pairs will visit feeders frequently to collect food for offspring.
– **Pest control:** Discourage ants, squirrels, and other pests. Use poles with baffles, move feeders often, avoid spilled seed, and select animal-proof feeder styles.
– **Native plants:** Provide native flowers, trees, bushes, and grasses to support insects that many birds rely on as food. Berry producing shrubs also supplement diet.
– **Hygiene:** Bird feeders should be cleaned regularly with a 10% non-chlorine bleach solution to remove built-up bacteria and prevent disease transmission. Rinse thoroughly after soaking.
Conclusion
Offering supplemental food for backyard birds certainly has benefits for many species if done properly, but it also comes with risks. Following best practices like maintaining clean feeders, using squirrel baffles, providing water, controlling pests, and monitoring for problems will help reduce any downsides. Overall, bird feeding allows an up-close glimpse into the natural world and can aid imperiled songbird populations, especially during harsh weather when food is scarce. With smart feeding techniques, any problems can be minimized. The joy of seeing colorful birds fluttering about the yard outweighs any hassle for most.