digg this
stumble this
add to del.ico.us.bird feeder
Setting up your own feeding station? Here is some advice on using bird feeders. This should cover the basics on feeding birds: what type of feeder to use, the kind of food to buy, the ideal spot for the feeder, when to feed and tips on offering some form of security for your visitors.
Choose the right feeder. Picking the right feeder can be tricky business. There are lots of types to choose from. The main things you should consider though are the durability, size, and the ease of assembly and maintenance.
The ideal feeder should be strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, able to keep seeds dry, large enough to avoid constant refilling of seeds, and easy to take apart and clean. Wooden feeders are easier to make and blend into your backyard easily but because of these criteria, the ideal feeder should be made of plastic or metal.
As for the type of feeder to use, you also have a wide array to choose from. Tube feeders are somewhat squirrel resistant and can keep the seeds dry. House feeders can also keep the seeds fairly dry but don't do a lot against squirrels. Platform feeders offer no protection at all against the weather and squirrels, however, you should keep in mind that this type of feeder attracts the widest variety of birds.
The type of feeder you will use ultimately depends on you. However, to avoid making a rather tough choice, why don't you try using a variety of feeders? This way, you can attract and cater to as many birds as you'd like.
Choose the food. Choosing the kind of food depends on the types of birds you want to attract. Ground feeders usually prefer white millet, oil type sunflower seeds attract tube feeders. Suet placed on tree trunks draw woodpeckers, but also invite starlings. You can try preparing a mixture of bird food, one that has high sunflower seed content and millet.
You should remember that certain birds are attracted by certain types of food and that having a wide variety of bird food is a great way to invite a larger number of birds into your backyard.
Pick the ideal spot. Once you've picked the kind of feeder you want to use, you now have to pick the right spot to set up your feeding station. Feeders placed near the ground mostly draw ground-feeders like sparrows and juncos, while feeders situated slightly above ground invite cardinals and other larger birds.
Choose the right feeder. Picking the right feeder can be tricky business. There are lots of types to choose from. The main things you should consider though are the durability, size, and the ease of assembly and maintenance.
The ideal feeder should be strong enough to withstand harsh weather conditions, able to keep seeds dry, large enough to avoid constant refilling of seeds, and easy to take apart and clean. Wooden feeders are easier to make and blend into your backyard easily but because of these criteria, the ideal feeder should be made of plastic or metal.
As for the type of feeder to use, you also have a wide array to choose from. Tube feeders are somewhat squirrel resistant and can keep the seeds dry. House feeders can also keep the seeds fairly dry but don't do a lot against squirrels. Platform feeders offer no protection at all against the weather and squirrels, however, you should keep in mind that this type of feeder attracts the widest variety of birds.
The type of feeder you will use ultimately depends on you. However, to avoid making a rather tough choice, why don't you try using a variety of feeders? This way, you can attract and cater to as many birds as you'd like.
Choose the food. Choosing the kind of food depends on the types of birds you want to attract. Ground feeders usually prefer white millet, oil type sunflower seeds attract tube feeders. Suet placed on tree trunks draw woodpeckers, but also invite starlings. You can try preparing a mixture of bird food, one that has high sunflower seed content and millet.
You should remember that certain birds are attracted by certain types of food and that having a wide variety of bird food is a great way to invite a larger number of birds into your backyard.
Pick the ideal spot. Once you've picked the kind of feeder you want to use, you now have to pick the right spot to set up your feeding station. Feeders placed near the ground mostly draw ground-feeders like sparrows and juncos, while feeders situated slightly above ground invite cardinals and other larger birds.
