Bird Feeding 101: The Basics
By Marilyn Shy, Kalkaska Conservation District
The temperature is dropping, and any day now, snowflakes will be in the air. Very soon the ground will be covered. Our feathered friends could use your help!
Bird feeding can provide many hours of fun for both young and old alike. In my neck of the woods, which happens to be southern Kalkaska County, most days I see chickadees, titmice, blue jays, both white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches, cardinals, mourning doves, and a variety of woodpeckers. Yesterday I even saw 2 white-crowned sparrows! However, these 2 migrants were only passing through. Once you start feeding, you will see these species as well as potentially many others. It is always exciting to see a bird that you may not have seen since spring migration!
Whether you are new to bird feeding, or a seasoned pro, there are many things to consider as you set up or add to your feeding stations. Here are just a few tips from the National Audubon Society, as well as other bird experts:
Locate bird feeders at different levels. Some heights and feeder types include:
Table-like feeders, also called platform feeders, for ground-feeding birds such as juncos and some sparrows.
Hopper or tube feeders, for small perching birds such as chickadees and goldfinches.
Suet feeders, for woodpeckers and nuthatches.
Offer a variety of seeds.
Black oil sunflower seeds are a favorite of many birds.
Thistle seeds are loved by redpolls, goldfinches, purple finches, and certain other winter visitors.
Blends that include millet and cracked corn are utilized by mourning doves, turkeys, and other ground feeders.
Locate feeders to avoid window collisions. In the U.S., approximately 1 billion birds die each year from flying into windows. To minimize these collisions, place feeders at least 3 feet from all windows. Use mobiles outside or stickers on the windows to prevent bird strikes.
Discourage squirrels. They might be cute, but they can monopolize a feeder to the point where they are eating most of the food. It is best to place your feeder on a pole that is protected with a squirrel baffle, a cone-shaped piece of metal that attaches to the pole below the feeder. Locate your pole-mounted feeder at least 10 feet from the nearest tree, shrub, or other tall structure. Squirrels are expert jumpers, and will readily jump onto feeders from deck railings. They are crafty and determined!
Keep cats indoors. Cats kill hundreds of millions of birds annually. Responsible and caring cat owners will keep their cats indoors.
Don’t feed bread or food scraps. Bread is generally bad for birds. Bread causes birds to become full quickly, and so they may skip foods with higher nutritional value. Bread and food scraps are more likely to attract raccoons and other unwelcome visitors.
Scientists are still learning about the impacts of bird feeding, but in general it seems the effects are mostly positive. Overwinter survival of birds is enhanced, especially during the coldest times. A study conducted in Wisconsin showed black-capped chickadees with access to bird seed had a much higher overwinter survival rate (69%) than those without access to human-provided seed (37% survival).
In addition, bird feeding provides earlier egg-laying dates, larger clutches of eggs, higher chick weights, and higher overall breeding success across a wide range of bird species.
An exciting opportunity for those of you who want to help contribute to the science of birds in our backyards is to report your sightings to Project Feeder Watch. FeederWatch is a November-April survey of backyard birds. The schedule is completely flexible. You can report birds you see for a day or two or for the entire season. Your observations can help scientists more accurately report populations of these fascinating creatures. For more information, or to sign up, go to www.feederwatch.org.
And Happy Birdwatching!