Written by Linda Hendricks Spence, www.BirdingBeyondtheFieldGuide.com
Now is the time to put up your birds’ seed feeders for spring and summer which is exactly what is happening at The Crane’s Nest Nature Center at Malheur Refuge Headquarters. Come! Watch!
I love looking out our windows or sitting outside and watching the birds at our feeders here in central Illinois. The birds are just so entertaining – and no matter what my mood is, I always end up grinning at their interactions – and antics! Many behaviors can be observed: aggression, submission, sharing, even mating. The blackbirds are especially entertaining as you will see the males go through all sorts of posturings to attract the females – sometimes they are successful and sometimes not. Sound familiar?
But before you put up your feeders, ask yourself some hard questions. Will you take care of the feeders? Keep them filled and most importantly, clean? This is a commitment. Feeders do not need daily maintenance, but they do need to be regularly monitored. In these days of avian flu, regular cleaning and sanitizing is of the utmost importance. If you live in Oregon, avian flu is not as prevalent as in other states but remember, there is no magic wall around your area that prevents infected birds from arriving and using your feeders. You are putting up feeders to attract birds, to help them stay healthy, and also to be entertained. Not so that birds become sick with diseases that can harm or even kill them. But if this is a hobby you think you would enjoy, then your backyard birds will benefit. If you live in Oregon, here is a link to your state website that tracks avian flu: Oregon Health Authority. If you live outside Oregon, check with your state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Before putting your feeders up – or if they have been up all winter – make sure your feeders are clean and sanitized. Always be sure to wear gloves when handling feeders and seed and here is a link with descriptions for feeders and seeds, plus instructions for cleaning. I have also included a recipe to make your own suet – woodpeckers, blackbirds, and some wrens love suet! Bird Feeders and Bird Baths.
Why feed birds? Does it actually help them? As it turns out, it does. Looking at weight, overall health, and quality of feathers, it was found that birds who visit feeders regularly are better in all three categories than birds who do not. Click on this link for a study by Dr. David Horn and Dr. Travis Wilcoxin of Milliken University. The Impact of Wild Bird Feeding on the Bird Community and the Health of Individual Birds.
Featured Image Above: Our backyard feeders and bird baths last spring. The left feeder with the red roof is filled with safflower seed – House Finches love that seed. The small feeder right behind it is filled with thistle/nijer seed and is used by American Goldfinches. If you have Lesser Goldfinches, they will also use a feeder like this. Next is the tube holding shelled peanuts. That is a Hairy Woodpecker clinging to the side – woodpeckers love nuts. The tube on the far right has black oiled sunflower seeds and often has a bird on every perch. On the platform feeder in front is a mix of safflower, sunflower, and millet. Birds who normally only feed on the ground will use this platform. Here you see two Mourning Doves, a male Red-winged Blackbird in nonbreeding plumage, and a male Brown-headed Cowbird. If you have several different types of feeders and offer several seeds, you almost always get a good variety and number of birds.
