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Decorative feeders are for the birds -- and bird watchers

By MARTHA STEWART

New York Times Syndication Sales Corp.

Sunday, December 31, 2000

Bird feeders provide a wonderful way to attract avian wildlife to your yard, and -- particularly during the winter months -- are a boon for hungry birds whose natural food supplies are scarce.

If you've never fed birds before, now is a good time to start. As a bonus, if you hate taking down the wreaths and lights of the holiday season, you'll be happy to find that many natural feeders are decorative as well as functional.

When birds discover your backyard as a source of food, they'll reward you with frequent visits. Be sure to keep up your end of the bargain by offering plenty of food and fresh water.

The style and location of the feeder, as well as the kinds of seed you use, determine the species of birds you'll attract. Check a field guide for a listing of birds that migrate to your area so you'll know what to offer.

A mix of millet, safflower and sunflower seeds in a pole feeder will entice both large and small birds. Smaller birds and songbirds are drawn to hanging feeders with sunflower seeds, whereas finches prefer thistles. Scattering food at ground level lures doves, quail, sparrows and juncos; consider using a feeding platform positioned just above the ground to discourage the growth of mold and bacteria hazardous to birds.

Most birdseed mixes contain safflower seeds and cracked corn. To this base you can add any combination of the following materials, which can be found in bulk at hardware stores, pet stores or nurseries.

-- Sunflower seeds are economical and provide a good source of protein. They attract chickadees, juncos, native sparrows and cardinals.

-- Millet, a grain culled from forage grasses, is found in almost all prepackaged seed mixes. It attracts mourning doves, song sparrows, house sparrows and white-crowned sparrows.

-- Thistle is a small seed enjoyed by goldfinches, sparrows, juncos and doves.

-- Peanut hearts are very high in protein and are eaten by sparrows, house finches, doves and grackles.

In colder climates, consider putting out suet -- beef fat sold in the meat department of grocery stores -- for birds, such as woodpeckers, that include insects in their diet. Suet can be put into a mesh bag, or you can purchase a basket suet feeder. In either case, it should be kept out of reach of cats and dogs and used only in colder weather;

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