December 2008/January 2009 - Feeding the Birds
F
ALL/WINTER
FEEDING OF
OUR
FINE
FEATHERED
FRIENDS OF
F
IELD
AND
FOREST IS
FUN
November is the best time to
start cold weather bird feeding. Natural foods such as dead insects,
insect eggs, and seeds are still available. Birds are scouting their
territories and finding future food sources at this time. When the
very cold weather arrives, the calorie requirements of birds
increase; at the same time, food is harder to find. Birds will flock
to your feeders, knowing there is a convenient meal.
Place your bird feeders nearby,
where you can watch and photograph the different species. Shelter
feeders from winds and snowdrifts. Protective cover, such as trees,
evergreens, or shrubs, should be close. You can even “plant”
a used Christmas tree nearby. Mount on poles or from wires or limbs,
at the 5-6 foot level, and at least 15 feet from trees and buildings
to discourage jumping squirrels. Use baffles or a metal stovepipe
around the poles to further discourage squirrels.
F
eeders
can be as simple as a shelf feeder - a platform mounted on a post;
the disadvantage of this type of feeder is that the birdseed easily
gets wet and moldy. There is also more waste and scattering of seed
than with other types of feeders. The traditional wooden feeder has a
small roof and a glass or plastic hopper for dispensing seed. Look
for good construction with untreated wood, held together with glue
and screws. The hopper openings should be less than ½ inch,
otherwise small birds can get their heads stuck. Some feeders have a
counter balance shutting off access to the birdseed, preventing
squirrels and heavier birds (pigeons, crows) from feeding.
A 1-2 foot log (2-3 inches in
diameter) can be drilled with large bore holes and packed with a suet
or peanut butter mix. Add small wooden dowels for perches.
A teepee, a few feet high, can
be constructed of tree limbs or lumber. Spread grain underneath to
attract pheasants, quail, and turkeys.
FOOD: Suet provides high energy
and will attract woodpeckers and nuthatches. Ask your deer hunting
friends, or purchase beef suet at the grocery or prepare it by
melting beef fat. Suet can be placed in a simple mesh (onion) bag or
into a holder made of scrap wood and ¼ inch mesh hardware
cloth. Melted suet can be mixed with birdseed, hulled sunflower
kernels, or cracked corn; this mixture can be molded into any type of
container.
Bird seed mixes are not
recommended. Wheat, milo, peanut hearts, hulled oats and rice in
these mixes are less attractive to birds - these seeds will be eaten,
but not as soon as preferred seeds. Thistle seeds, hulled sunflower
seeds, and fine-cracked corn attract various species. Small black
oil-type sunflower seeds are high in calories, attract the most
species, and are the best bet for your dollar. The black seeds are
preferred over the gray or black striped varieties of sunflower. The
white (not red) proso millet seeds also attract a wide variety of
birds. Buy in bulk - in the long run, it is cheaper. Always use clean
seed and store in a closed, dry bin. If you find yourself using a
very large amount of birdseed, perhaps you have a deer problem
- friends found a talented deer in their yard, spilling seed onto the
ground and eating it. (Bear and raccoons have been known to visit
bird feeders…my advice…don’t argue, let them
eat!!!)
Table scraps tend to attract
starlings, pigeons, and sparrows.
Keep your feeders and ground
clean to prevent disease. Wear gloves when removing moldy seeds and
cleaning bird droppings from baffles, chains, and trays. Use bleach
solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water) to disinfect the feeders.
Immerse feeders completely in the solution for 2-3 minutes and scrub
to remove grime; at the start of the season and at least once or
twice a month. Wash all-plastic feeders in a dishwasher.
Water in winter is scarce and
using a simple water heater (available at garden stores) to keep the
water unfrozen will attract as many birds as your feeders. The cost,
spread out over many years of use, is minimal. Change the water every
few days. Add some sand in the bath to provide footing.
Increase your bird watching
enjoyment with a good bird identification guide and a set of field
binoculars. You may enjoy your wintertime bird friends so much that
you will want to plant your landscape to attract them all year…but
that is another story (or article).
References:
Adler, Bill Jr., Impeccable
Birdfeeding, Chicago Review Press, 1992.
Buff, Sheila, The Birdfeeder’s
Handbook, Lyons Press, 1991.
Kress, Steven W., The Audubon
Society Guide to Attracting Birds
Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources, Landscaping for Wildlife
University of Wisconsin
publication, Bird Feeding Tips for Beginners and Veterans
Also check out the Cornell
Dept. of Ornithology and U. of Maine Extension websites.
Happy
Bird Watching, Joe Baltrukonis
Previous Garden Sage Columns
November 2008
Winter Damage to Evergreens
October 2008
Putting Your Flower Bed to Bed
September 2008
The Return of the Tulips
July 2008
Oh Dear, Oh Deer
June 2008
DANGER IN THE GARDEN (ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN)
May 2008
Rainwater Gardens
April 2008
Growing Peaches in Minnesota
February 2008
Insects That Might Bug Us This Summer
January 2008
Avoiding Crying After Buying... Wise Mail Order Shopping
December 2007
On Comet! On Cupid! on Donder and Blitzen! On Garden Catalogs
November 2007
Latin is for Lovers ... of Plants
October 2007
Use Those Leaves!
September 2007
The Coneflower Explosion
