Feeding Birds in the Garden
Posted: Tuesday, January 10, 2012
by Liz Canham
http://www.internetmarketingwithliz.com
Feeding birds in the garden is particularly important from when the first ground frosts start. When the earth becomes frozen, birds can't dig for worms and grubs and even berries may be hard to come by. However, when feeding birds in the winter, there are a few points that you need to be aware of.
Point #1 - The site. Feeding stations for birds should be sheltered from snow and rain so that the feed isn't buried by snow or soaking wet. Don't site feeding stations for birds under trees or overhanging branches; the will be too accessible to squirrels and other climbing predators such as cats. While squirrels won't normally harm birds, they will eat the same sort of food so the birds may still go hungry.
Point #3 - Keeping feeders clean. Be sure to clean and sterilise feeders on a regular basis to remove or prevent mildew and mould. Throw away any seed which looks damp or mouldy and make sure that the feeder is dry before you refill it.
Point # 4 - Dry food. The best all round food to use when feeding birds in the garden is a wild bird seed mix available from pet shops but make sure it isn't mixed with pulses or oats and some birds won't be able to eat this. However, many birds are fond of peanuts, particularly tits which will cling to a peanut netting bag hanging from a branch or other protruding piece of wood. Robins don't have the ability to cling on and feed at the same time so they will pick up bits dropped on the ground. If you have a cat, this situation is not ideal; a bird table is better where all the birds can land and eat in safety. Make sure that you buy peanuts which are suitable for bird consumption, not roasted or salted for humans.
Point #5 - Fat. Lard, fat, dripping and unsalted butter are all suitable for birds which normally eat insects. These include robins, tits and woodpeckers.
Point #6 - Kitchen scraps. Pieces of fruit, bread, cake or biscuits from your kitchen will keep many birds happy but make sure that they are still fresh and don't contain saffron.
Point #7 - If you're feeding dry food to birds, don't forget to provide fresh, clean water too.
Feeding birds in the garden is very rewarding, especially in winter and for information on suitable feeding stations for birds, visit Liz Canham's website, Worldwide Bird Watching.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Thanks for these great tips. We all love to watch the birds, and we should contribute to their well being in winter too.
Your article is good Elle, I too have several feeding stations. Because all I have are trees in my backyard, I feed the squirells too. The cat I have is too lazy to have to expend any energy chasing birds.
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