Many people argue that if you feed your birds, it could be a bad thing! They claim that the birds will start to depend on your food and lose the ability to find their own.
Some feel that birds will rely on the food provided by you and that they will lose their ability to find their own food. Other experts think that our feathered friends are much more resilient and will discover new sources of food if the feeder repeatedly is empty and they can’t support themselves or their young.
As reported in Bird Watcher’s Digest, researchers Margaret Brittingham and Stanley Temple found that black-capped chickadees take, on average, only 20-25% of their winter food requirements from feeders. But, they also demonstrated a significant correlation between an individual bird’s ability to survive the winter and the use of bird feeders.
Evidence shows that aves that eat food provided by humans through feeders had an annual (not just winter) survival rate that is 8% higher (up to 95% from 87%) than those birds that don’t eat food provided by humans. For winter (as opposed to month-to-month), 69% of the feeder using birds survived the winter where only 37% of wild non-feeder using birds survived the winter.
If more wild birds survive the winter when we feed them, what are the implications? In simple terms, it means that without our help, a higher number of birds fail to survive the winter. If we help, more birds will survive. Curiously, even though our food supply will decrease the winter death rate, our avian friends will not completely rely on us. If your bird feeders are consistently empty, these amazing animals will almost always take flight to find another source of food on their own. You will also notice that in the spring, when food abounds, the birds are not as active at the feeders as they are in the winter when food is harder to find.
We can only suspect that different birds, like people, have different levels of dependence. However, the truth is that our avian friends will adapt. If one fails to continue a consistent feeding program, the birds will adapt and search for food.
I recommend that if you start a bird feeding program, stay consistent. It is best if you fill the feeders at the same time every day or whatever interval you need and ensure that the feeders do not stay empty for extended periods. For really great public information about bird feeding, go to http://www.americanbirding.org/
Also, if you plan to go on vacation or holiday, plan for your absence. In your short-term (1-4 days) absence from home, a good practice is to completely stock your feeder and also place some on the earth and around vegetation in the general area of your feeding stations. If you are going to be gone for an extended time, ask your friends, neighbors, or relatives to check and fill your feeders on a consistent basis.
As for winter feeding, it is more serious. Some bird populations may not migrate to areas of higher food availability if there is a reliable source near their summer habitats. Thus, if you feed birds on a consistent basis over the spring and summer, it is important that you are extremely consistent in the winter, when some species may rely on your food to survive.
To make a long story short, it is better for survival rates if you feed wild birds in your yard. But if you decide to feed them, it is ideal if you are consistent in your feeding.
By Mike Kershaw
Mike Kershaw has a graduate degree in biological sciences and is an expert in attracting and retaining wild birds to your backyard. Mike is a wild bird enthusiast and owner/operator of the online wild bird supplies superstore The Bird Warehouse.
Birds. Alfred Hitchcock did his best to scare the heck out of us in regard to our fine feathered friends but birds are still about the safest of all animals to be around. Even the least attractive bird has a beauty to it. Maybe that’s why so many people take up bird watching. If you’re thinking that the only thing involved with bird watching is going outside, making your way to a park and opening your eyes then you need to think again. Bird watching can actually be very involved. There are many techniques bird watchers use to just get the birds to come. Starting with feeding. What is it that birds want? Well, if you’re trying to attract birds in the winter time to stare at from the confines of your nice warm home, the first thing you need to know is that most birds you will see in the winter are seed eating birds. So if you have a bird feeder in your backyard then what you simply want to do is make sure it is supplied with seeds and water. Do this regularly and eventually the birds will know that this is a consistent source of food and will come back regularly. Assuming that your bird feeder is close to a window you can get a, forgive the pun, bird’s eye view of your dinner guests. The best seeds to provide for your dinner guests are sunflower seeds. These seeds attract cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, purple finches, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches. Another really good seed is niger. Goldfinches absolutely love niger You can easily have as many as a dozen goldfinches visiting your feeder at one time. However, be forewarned, niger is very expensive. How expensive? Over $1 a pound expensive. So you want to be very careful with niger and don’t waste it. The best thing to do is buy a hanging tube with tiny holes designed especially for it. Then hang it where you can see it from your window with the best view. Another great seed to buy is safflower. This is a white seed that is smaller than a black sunflower seed. What’s great about this seed is that squirrels won’t touch it, which leaves more for the birds. These seeds are great for cardinals, titmice, chickadees, and downy woodpeckers. White millet is another important seed to get for your feathered friends. This is a very cheap seed and you can scatter it on the ground for sparrows, juncos, and mourning doves. You can get a 50 pound bag of these for close to nothing. Very, very cheap seeds. One thing you should never buy is bags of mixed birdseed. The reason is that there are going to be seeds in the bag that some birds will eat and some won’t. Ultimately, because a bird will stumble upon a seed it doesn’t like, the bird will fly away. In the end, all the birds will fly away and not come back. So stick to a seed that you want to use to attract the bird you’re looking for.
By Michael Russell
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Birds
Birds are very interesting creatures. They are vertebrates, because like fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, they have a spinal cord. They are also tetra pods because of their four limbs, two of which became wings, that are, in general, for flying. The other pair is for walking, running, and swimming. All birds, and only birds, have beaks and feathers and all species lay eggs. They have no mammary glands and neither do they have teeth. They are endothermic, that is why they are considered warm-blooded animals. Most of them fly except for some emus, ostriches, and penguins along with a few other species. They have been around for millions of years and have been helping the environment. They are known to be very intelligent even without having been thoroughly studied. Scientists believe that birds, as a class, have a higher level of intelligence than most reptiles, and can be just as intelligent as many mammals regardless of size. Mammal intelligence testing is based on how they modify their surroundings using their forelimbs, and since birds lack forelimbs it is difficult to test their intelligence as it is tested on mammals. It is widely believed in the scientific world, that birds actually lack real intelligence; they act upon their instincts and are unable to learn. Scientists who believe this rely on the fact that birds have a relatively small cerebral cortex, which is the area of the brain where most animals use their intelligence. Yet, it has been proven that the bird uses a different part of its brain for intelligence, the hipertriatum. Birds have excellent vision. They rely on it for flying and navigating. They need their sharp vision for processing large amounts of visual information for locating rodents and other prey on the earth while flying. They usually have monocular vision; their eyes are each on the opposite side of the head. They need great brainpower to process and combine the different information they get from each eye. Many scientists say that the more social animals are, the more intelligent they are. The greatest argument in favor of this is that humans are the most social and the most intelligent animals. Parrots and corvids both tend towards organized social behavior. Many corvid species separate into clans for nesting or defending territory. Then they usually flock together with different species in order to migrate. When migration is through they go back to their original clans. Scientists say that this behavior indicates real intelligence because of the way the bird can identify each clan member and the changes in temperature and climate while migrating. While hunting, some birds make use of teamwork. Predatory birds work in pairs, while one bird distracts the prey, the other swoops down for the kill. This is called the “bait and switch” technique. Similar to primates, many bird species use tools. Some species of crows grip sticks with their beaks to pick out insects from logs. This has been observed as something the young birds learn from their elders, but it has also been observed in captivity. A laboratory crow made a hook tool with wire without having learned this from any other bird. Birds have no form of spoken language as we humans do, but they do communicate through singing, calling and using body language. Studies show that birds learn their territorial songs at a young age and use them for the rest of their lives. Some species even learn different song dialects. A bird can instinctively migrate alone for the first time, and as it gets older and more experienced it has a smaller probability of getting lost. This shows that they can memorize places, landmarks, and have a sense of direction. Many people like to compare stupid people with birds, but actually birds are one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth. They are highly evolved and have developed extremely sharp skills and senses. So, next time you make fun of someone less experienced than you and you say they’re “as dumb as a duck”, remember this article.
By Michael Russell
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Birds
In this last article of our series on birds we’re going to cover something that most people find quite fascinating. How are bird watchers able to so quickly identify their feathered friends? With so many species of birds it can’t be that easy, or can it? In this article we’re going to go over some tips to make your bird identification a whole lot easier. Just like recognizing certain characteristics and habits of people you can do the same with birds, which ultimately makes identifying them much easier. These characteristics are shape, size, color, flight pattern and where they’re seen, to name just a few. The first thing you need to do when identifying birds is to learn how to recognise a certain group of birds like warblers, flycatchers, hawks, owls and wrens. These all share certain similarities. As you get better at this you will be able to distinguish a certain species from the group as a whole. Once you’ve narrowed down the bird to a group, size can give you a very good clue as to the actual species, especially if the lighting is poor or you are at a great distance. Size comparisons are very easy when the bird you are trying to identify is next to a bird of the same group that is either much smaller or much larger. For example, a Pileated Woodpecker is much larger than a Downy Woodpecker. So if you see these two birds side by side it will be easy to pick out which is which. Then there is the posture of a bird. Believe it or not, birds perch differently. For example, a Flycatcher perches vertically (straight up and down) when on a branch while a Vireo perches horizontally (almost lying down) when on the same branch. So if you were to see these two birds side by side you should be able to pick out which one is which. Then there is the flight pattern of a bird. Birds do not all fly with the same motion. For example, while most birds fly in a straight line, finches and woodpeckers fly in sort of an up and down pattern. Even between the two there is a difference. Finches fly in a more exaggerated roller coaster pattern while woodpeckers fly in a more moderate rise and fall pattern. Then there are birds like Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and Northern Goshawks that make several wing flaps which are followed by a long glide, whereas a Red Tailed Hawk can usually be seen soaring. Then if you are able to witness a head on flight profile of a bird there are differences here as well. A Bald Eagle will fly with its wings spread out straight across from each other or at a 180 degree angle while a Northern Harrier will fly with its wings slightly elevated into a V-shape. Of course the above is rather simplified as identifying birds is a lot more involved. But these are the basics of where to begin. As you study more and more birds you will begin to develop a real knack for picking one out of a crowd, so to speak.
By Michael Russell
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Birds
In this second article about birds, bird watching and how to get them to flock to your humble abode, we’re going to focus on how to get a flock of birds by planting certain flowers in your garden. It isn’t so much the flowers themselves that the birds are after but the seeds that these flowers produce. After all, this is what these birds eat and a hungry bird will never turn its back on a tasty seed. Well, there are certain flowers that produce seeds that birds are most after. We’ll take a look at some of these. Probably the most popular flower for attracting birds and the most successful is the King sunflower. Birds are absolutely crazy about sunflower seeds. That’s why passionate bird feeders go out and buy bags of this stuff that are so heavy they can just about carry them. Sunflowers themselves have become a very big business because of this. A bird flying over North or South Dakota would literally see thousands of acres of sunflowers, a very large portion of which is grown especially for bird seed. People from all over the United States buy these seeds, which makes this one of the largest industries in the Dakotas. When planting your sunflowers at home try to plant them in an area that will get full direct sunlight. If possible try to make this also close to a window. You’ll get a steady view of hungry birds coming down to feast. If you don’t want to use all your seeds in the summer and want to save some for winter to feed what birds may still be around, what you do is put a paper grocery sack over each seed head and tie it around the stem. Leave some of the flower heads uncovered so that the hungry birds will not try to peck through the paper. After the seed heads have dried cut them from the stems and place them in metal containers. This keeps the mice from getting to them. This will keep your seeds safe for winter feeding. Other garden flowers that birds love are cosmos, snapdragon, zinnia, cockscomb, aster, and larkspur. After these flowers have bloomed don’t cut off their heads. Let them dry right where they are. When winter comes your flowers will bloom again and with them will come a flock of finches and cardinals. Now, if you’re trying to attract hummingbirds the best flowers to plant are any nectar producing flowers, especially if they’re red, pink or orange. Some of the hummingbird’s favorites are honeysuckle, columbine, coral-bells, impatiens, foxglove, and red penstemon. In the summer, hummingbirds go crazy over scarlet bergamot, cardinal flower, hosta, gladiolus, salvia, and trumpet vine. Hummingbirds like a nice drink with their seeds so make sure you have a bird feeder near by where they can quench their thirst. A good feeder is one that attaches to your window with suction cups. And don’t worry about standing at the window when they come. They’ll plop down for a drink even with you staring right at them. So if you’re into bird watching and gardening this is a good way to kill two birds with one stone. No pun intended.
By Michael Russell
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Birds
Choosing the right birdfeeder and/or birdhouse can be a rather difficult decision. Anytime is the right time to mount or hang your birdfeeder or birdhouse. As birds begin to search for a place to feed and create their nest, make sure your birdfeeders are mounted or hung and your birdhouse is ready for their inspection.
Birds that usually occupy bird houses include wood ducks, goldeneyes, buffleheads, mergansers, american kestrels, owls, woodpeckers, northern flickers, flycatchers, tree swallows, purple martins, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, bluebirds, starlings, sparrows, and house finches.
Ever wonder which birdfeeder to use and/or what bird food will attract certain birds? Your solution is here. Use black oil sunflower seed in a tube feeder with a tray to attract cardinals, finches, jays, sparrows, chickadees, pine siskins, titmouses, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and redpolls. Use a thistle feeder with thistle seed to attract finches. Use a tube feeder with peanuts to attract cardinals, sparrows, starlings, chickadees, juncos, finches, titmouses, grackles, doves, and jays. Use a hummingbird feeder with hummingbird nectar to attract, your guessed it, a hummingbird!
Many birds will establish an area of land and trees where they will not be disturbed by other birds. Although some birds, such as Tree Swallows and Purple Martins, love to have lots of other birds of the same type around them. Each bird requires different birdhouse measurements, so be sure you choose the right birdhouse for your wildbird interests.
Birds can be a bit choosy when finding their home. Some will inspect several houses before deciding on a particular one. You may wish to embellish your yard with many different birdhouses for your wildbirds to choose from, knowing that only one will be occupied. By giving them a choice, you might keep them from choosing the neighbors birdfeeder!
By Neisha Bjorklund
Neisha Bjorklund is a web master for http://www.abirdskingdom.com. If you’re looking for the perfect birdfeeder or birdhouse we’ve got your solution. Find a super supply of feeding and nesting supplies for your wild birds accessibility!
Bird watching or birding is a very popular hobby that includes the observation and study of birds.Because visual observation of birds is complemented with auditory observation, the term “birding” is more accurate.Birding is the second most popular outdoor activity in America, second only to gardening as the number-one recreation.
For many people bird watching is an opportunity to feel close to nature.They also enjoy the relaxation and peacefulness by watching birds.Some birders,however,will travel long distances just to see a rare bird.These birders are known as twitchers.Twitching is popular in Britain and several other European countries.
Most birders start out by watching and attracting birds to their own backyards.Bird feeding can benefit birds and also provide great bird watching.You can attract a variety of interesting birds to your yard by selecting and offering the right kinds of food. The common types of food offered in bird feeding are seeds,nectar,suet and fruit.Early morning is the best time for bird watching since many birds are then searching most actively for food.
Once you start feeding birds, you’ll probably want to identify who is coming to visit.Equipment used for birding includes binoculars,a blank notebook, and one or more good field guides.
Field guides are books with pictures and descriptions of the birds.A field guide shows birds of just one country, or one region of a country, or one habitat.
Binoculars are described by two numbers: 8×32 for example.The first number tells you the magnification power of the binoculars.The second tells you the size of the objective lens at the end of the binoculars in millimeters.Most bird watchers think that 7 or 8 power is about right for most birding.
The next step is to broaden your birding experience beyond your own backyard.Plan a trip to a bird sanctuary, national park and other locations where you can see birds in large numbers.Wherever you go,never harm the birds and always respect other birders.
And don’t forget to join a local birding club.Clubs organize field trips,show films of good bird watching destinations and some of them are involved in local environmental projects. Also visit your local library and check out books on birds and ornithology.
By Albreht Moy
Albreht Moy owns Old World Maps website.Find antique map reproductions on his site.
Birds are great additions to your backyard. Putting up bird houses is an excellent way to attract them. However, not all birds opt to nest in bird houses. Birds differ in their habitat preferences and only cavity-dwellers are probably interested in the bird shelters in your backyard. As it is, these cavity-dwellers also have their own specifications about the kind of house they like. These are minor measurements or feature issues but they are important for the birds. However, there are general guidelines in building these houses. First, it is important to identify the species of birds that visit your backyard. It is also necessary to distinguish which are the cavity-dwellers from the tree and burrow dwellers. Common cavity-dwellers are wrens, chickadees, bluebirds, and flickers. Choose one you like best and focus your bird house design on it. Even if the idea of building multiple bird houses appeal to you, refrain from doing so because birds are territorial animals. Second, determine the required dimensions of your chosen bird. Forget asking the birds for these because you’ll get no answers. Dimensions of bird houses include entrance-hole, height, depth, and floor size. Smaller birds like wren and chickadees usually prefer 4×4 floor size and a reasonable 8″ depth. Consult a bird book or the internet for information regarding the measurements of your bird house. Third, it is better to use untreated wood and lumber for bird houses. Aside from mimicking the birds’ natural habitat, natural wood also minimizes risks of poisoning and overheating. Treated and processed wood like plywood contains preservatives like formaldehyde, which poses serious health hazards to your feathered friends. Lumber that is classified as pressure-treated often contain toxic chemicals which can poison the nesting birds. Paint is also a no-no. Chipping paint can be mistaken by the bird for food and eat it. Also, metals and plastics are not suitable for building avian shelters since they are both prone to overheating. You would want to provide the birds shelter, not an outdoor oven. Fourth, in drafting or designing a plan for your bird houses, it is important to consider the birds’ safety against the elements and predators. Slanted roofs are preferable so rain, dirt, and moisture would not collect on top and rot the wood. It is also preferable that the roofs extend over the sides and front. Perches are not really necessary since cavity-dwellers do not perch. Consider drainage and ventilation needs. Drill small holes on the floor but make sure that these are smaller than the bird’s feet. These holes are also best placed on corners to help in draining water out in case of rain. Baby birds drown easily and a bit of collected rainwater in their shelter is enough to send them to their deaths. Aside from the relatively larger entrance holes, place ventilation holes along the house’s walls or back. These let heat escape to keep the structure comfortably cool. Placing the bird house atop a pole is a good way to discourage predators like cats and raccoons. Fifth, maintenance and cleanliness are also factors in bird house building. Unkempt bird houses are causes of diseases, according to experts. To help you in maintaining cleanliness in the bird house, add a backdoor. This way, you can easily remove unused nest and disinfect the vacated house. Droppings and other dirt also contribute to the contamination and cleaning these out limits risks of infecting other birds. With these tips, you are on your way to designing and building your own bird houses. Help the birds by treating these houses as if you live there. Considering the birds’ safety in your bird houses ensure you of longer years with your feathered friends.
By William Teleo
For more valuable information on Bird Houses, please visit http://www.birdhousesbylaura.com
Are you delighted by the natural show of birds? Flocks of sparrows descending to the ground for a feast, or a lone blue jay making his noisy calls against a winter backdrop – birds offer the observer and listener both pleasure and entertainment.
If you want to enjoy the company of birds in your yard you can do so by creating a garden suited to their needs. Planting a variety of trees, shrubs and natural grasses can make your yard a desirable destination. There are four needs that you can provide for that will encourage birds to your yard: safety, shelter, food and home.
SAFETY
Birds have many predators. Thick trees, grasses and shrubs hide them from enemies and protect their young. Evergreens like pine, fir or hollies provide dense cover throughout the year while deciduous trees are welcome protection in the warmer months.
SHELTER
The trees and shrubs that offer protection from predators can also protect them from the elements. Even tall ornamental grass can be used as a refuge from inclement weather. Planting bushes close together will provide better protection for your birds.
FOOD
Since most birds are not taught to find food from bird feeders you will attract more varieties of wild birds if you offer natural food sources. Berries, insects, nectar and nuts are preferred to seeds by some birds and will be abundant in supply if you choose these trees and shrubs to plant in your garden.
Plan your garden to offer food throughout the year, for example; blueberry and blackberry bushes in the summer, dogwoods in the fall and hollies in the winter. Oaks, pines and walnut trees will provide seeds and nuts during the year.
Shrubs and flowers can be planted to encourage visits from nectar-seeking birds like the hummingbird. Crabapple trees and azaleas provide nectar equally well as flowers. Shrubs and trees with winter berries will attract non-migrating wild birds throughout the colder months. By offering a varied selection of natural food sources you can enjoy the splendor of all your local birds.
HOME
You may create homes for your birds, or notice them being built in your eves, but providing trees will encourage even the most timid birds to your yard for nesting and rearing their young.
Different birds prefer different nesting sites. Some will nest high in a tree, some will prefer nesting in lower bushes, and others will nest on the ground amongst the tall grasses. The variety of planting you do will encourage more birds to nest in your yard.
Since some birds will only nest in your area for the summer, deciduous trees can provide equally well for their nesting needs as coniferous trees. They can also be a desirable home if they provide an easy source of food to feed their young.
A beautiful garden is well complemented by the company of birds. Provide for their needs and they will surely provide the gift of beauty, melody and entertainment to your garden.
By ElmerFizz
http://www.gardenjargon.com is an excellent source of quality gardening items. You could spend days surfing the site. Reprint of article is granted if all content remains unchanged.
A bird feeder is a small container usually shaped like a cylinder used to attract birds to a garden. They vary in shape but are often designed to be tall and slender and to hang from a tree branch. The container is filled with birdseed and usually has a grill or small opening through which the bird can get the food. Most have small perches on which the birds can stand, but some simple use a wire mesh that the birds can easily grip. The owner may buy a small tray that fits underneath the feeder to catch errant seeds. The colour of the feeder, and the type of seeds placed in the container, are changed in order to attract different species of birds. The most common is millet or sunflower seed but any can be used that apply to the diet of the local wildlife. This is useful to bird watchers who want to attract various species of bird to their home for photography or study. Living food such as mealworms can be placed in some feeders, allowing birds with offspring to use the device. One problem with bird feeders is that other garden animals will be attracted. Often, squirrels or even mice will steal the seed. Some companies produce separate feeders for mammals, and some employ inventive methods of deterring pests. Some feeders have perches that very lightly shock or fold downwards when an object heavier than a bird is placed on it, causing any interlopers to be cast aside. Different types of birds sometimes have their own types of bird feeder. For insect eating birds you can get a feeder that contains a block of suet that can be slowly worked away on. For birds like hummingbirds, which feed off nectar, there are feeders that contain a liquid and sugar mixture than the birds can drink. Some species of birds like to feed at ground level, and so there are feeders built for this purpose.
By John Gibb
John Gibb is the owner of Bird Feeder guidance For more information on the Bird feeders check out http://www.bird-feeder-resources3k.info
Bird watching is growing in popularity as a hobby that gets people outdoors and increases appreciation of nature, as well as being a great stress reliever. This blog will help you to be equiped with all you need to enjoy this great recreational pastime.
