Bird Feeding

Bird feeding has been a hobby of mine for the past couple of years. Through experience, mistakes, and other things I’ve learned a couple of tricks and tips for feeding your birds. Here are some:

Squirrels

As every bird lover knows, squirrels are enemies!!! They’ll climb on your feeders, chew through the material whether it’s plastic or metal, and eat all the food while scaring most birds away. Many people try to put baffles under their pole feeders and baffles above their hanging feeders. For some people this works, but for others, the squirrels just go right through them somehow and get on your feeders. There is a solution though. Buy a tube feeder that has a cage small enough for smaller birds to get in and enough spacing so squirrels can’t get their claws in the feed.

Now I’m sure you’re wondering about the larger birds. Well here’s what you do. Buy or make a large board with about 1 inch of height on the edges. Next, mount it on a pole and make sure there is at least 2 and 1 half feet from the pole to each end. (You can add more if you’d like). Put strips of any type of metal at an angle on the edges like a house roof at about 5 to 7 inches long. Put a large baffle around half way to the bottom of the pole for extra security. Place the feeder away from trees because squirrels WILL fall from trees unto feeders. (I’m sorry about the picture. It’s a little hard to read.)

Another way to eliminate squirrels is to feed them separately. Try putting corn and other squirrel favorites in another part of the yard. This, however, doesn’t always work.
Some people spray the bases of their feeders with hot spices and other concoctions. The squirrels get them on their paws and then rub their eyes which give them a nasty sting. Attracting red headed woodpeckers is a good idea, but some areas do not get them. The best way, I have found, is to buy tube feeders and place them on a thin, but strong wire. The squirrels will try to get them first, but won’t succeed. Then place seed on the ground for them and other birds and they will stay off all your feeders as long as you have baffles.

Bird Seed

When picking out bird seed you should choose it by which birds you want to attract. Many websites will tell you which bird eats what. Sometimes the back of the bag of seed will tell you. If you don’t care which birds you get, keep this in mind: Don’t Buy Anything with Milo!!!!! Most birds won’t eat Milo and will toss it on the ground and give you unwanted plants. Again, if you do not care about the plants or that you will attract only a few amounts of birds, then it doesn’t matter. Suet is also a good treat and many birds love it, but keep it out of reach of squirrels.

Bird Feeders

Like bird feed, it is important to choose a feeder that attracts the birds you want. For cardinals you will want a cardinal feeder that mainly holds oilers. For medium size birds you will want either a platform feeder or a hopper feeder. Sock feeders are for small finches and tube feeders are for smaller birds. Oriole feeders and hummingbird feeders are obviously for oriole and hummingbirds. Log feeders are good for woodpeckers and nuthatches. A ground feeder can either be a board or just the ground. He board is optional and only needed if you don’t want little plants growing. Ground feeders are for doves and other larger birds as well as juncos and cardinals.

Bird Baths

Bird baths are not very important, but can help on attracting birds. Make sure the water in the bath is only about 2 inches deep. Baths can be made from garbage can lids and other household items. A heated bath costs more and is not needed. This is mainly for more experienced birders or if you have the money. Also make sure you clean the bath regularly as it builds up algae and other stuff over time.

Other

Shrubs and bushes are good way to attract birds. If you want birds to come back every year a good thing to put up is a bird house. Make sure you have the right size for the bird you want and don’t be discouraged if nothing nests there. It will take some time.

Remember bird watching is a very fun hobby! If birds don’t come at first be patient! Try new things and never give up.