Monday, September 11, 2006

Gus's guide to bird feeding - an illustrated instructive article on choosing a bird feeder, bird seed food, and advice on placement - contains related

Which kind of bird feeder is the best?

There is no such thing as the best feeder. Certain feeders are best for certain types of birds. Use one that's convenient for you--as well as the birds. Here are some types of feeders you can use:

Hanging around: We goldfinches and our relatives the house finches cling to tree branches and flower stems while we eat. So we're right at home grabbing some chow at tube feeders. They're the clear plastic tube-shaped ones with little perches sticking out. Chickadees, grosbeaks, and titmice also like to hang out at these feeders.

Feet on the ground: Sparrows, juncos, doves, and quails aren't crazy about clinging to tiny perches. They prefer to eat with two feet planted on solid soil. So you don't really need a feeder to give these birds a treat--just scatter a handful of seeds on the ground.

If that seems too messy, you can use a tray feeder. It has holes in the bottom so water drains out. Cardinals, jays, and many other birds will come to this kind of feeder too.

Hop to it: A feeder with a roof and sides is called a hopper feeder. It holds a lot of seeds, so you don't have to fill it so often, and the roof keeps the seeds dry.

One for the window: You might want to put up a window feeder that sticks on with suction cups or is attached to a windowsill. Then you'll get a really close-up view!

Is there anything else to look for when choosing a feeder?

Yes, look for a feeder that's sturdy and easy to fill with seeds. Ask the salesperson to help you make sure there are no places where a bird could squeeze inside and get trapped. You should be able to open the feeder easily and reach inside to scrub it clean.

Where's the best place to put a tube feeder?

Some choices: You can hang a tube feeder from a strong tree branch or attach it to a pole stuck in the ground. Another idea is to run a wire between two trees (or your house and a tree) and hang the feeder from the wire. Ask a grownup for help with this one.

Close to plants: You want us to EAT dinner, not BE dinner. So, put your feeder near (but not right next to) a "hideout" such as a bush or evergreen tree. Then we can flit to safety if a bird-eating hawk comes by.

In plain view: Don't miss the action--put your feeder where YOU can see it. Do you have a window near a table where you eat? Maybe you can put a feeder out- side that window. Then you can have breakfast with the birds!

Easy to reach: Put your feeder where you can reach it. You'll be filling it regularly, so make your job easy.

How about food--what's best?

We need seeds! Most of us backyard songbirds eat seeds we find in the wild: grass seeds, weed and flower seeds, and even tree seeds. So seeds are what you should offer us.

Here's an important tip: Don't waste your money on those bags of mixed seeds you see at the supermarket. Yeah, mixes might look like something birds would find tasty. Trouble is, we birds dig through a mix, looking for favorite tid- bits. (Reminds me of kids digging for favorites in a can of mixed nuts.) So lots of the seeds end up spilled on the ground and wasted.

It's best to offer just one kind of seed in each feeder. To attract many dif- ferent birds, hang several feeders, each with a different kind of seed. You can buy the seeds listed here at a garden shop or a feed store.

Start with sunflower seeds: Black-oil sunflower seeds are a good all-around choice. Many stores sell them, and many birds think they're delicious. The seeds are easy to crack open, and they're good for us.

Other favorites: Finches, sparrows, blackbirds, and doves go for millet (a tiny, round, white seed). Cardinals like flat, gray safflower seeds. Cracked corn and peanuts (whole, shelled, or peanut "hearts") are other good foods for backyard birds.

Small, reddish seeds called milo are often the ones tossed away by birds when they find them in mixes. But jays and doves in the southwestern states really go for them.

You want to know what my favorite food is? Thistle seeds. You'll need a spe- cial feeder with extra-small feeding holes if you want to put these tiny seeds out for us goldfinches.

Grow some yourself:

Here's a do-it-yourself idea for next spring. Plant some sunflower seeds in the ground. When the flowers grow and the seeds ripen, the big plants will be natural bird feeders.

What about insect-eaters?

Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees eat bugs all year round. But insect-eaters like to eat suet too. That's the hard, white fat found on some meat. You can get it at supermarket meat departments. It also comes in pack- ages at garden shops and feed stores.

Don't some birds like to eat fruit?

Yes, and if you live in the South in a place where birds gather in winter, you might have lots of fruit-eaters around. Some fruit-eaters, such as mocking- birds, stick around the northern states too. Here's an easy way to give them a treat:

Soak some raisins in warm water till they're soft. Drain off the water, place the treats in a flat pan, and serve.


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