Read About Bird Feeding

Bird feeding can be a blast because it brings new birds into your backyard. Here's everything you need to know about bird feeding.

Create a friendly environment

Bird feeding is something that's easy to do from your back yard if you invest a little time upfront. All you need to do to get birds to feed in your backyard is create an environment that they like. Birds like food, but they're constantly worried about their safety and will choose safety over a full belly anytime. After all, how can you eat if you're not alive? So, when you're getting ready to create a friendly feeding area, look for places in your yard that are bird friendly. Do not put a bird feeder in any area where the neighborhood cat can get to it. Also, avoid areas that are really close to your house or garage because birds spook easily and will flee these areas when they hear a noise. It's hard to watch birds feed if they move every time you walk through your house.

Be picky

Many people have put up bird feeders so they can watch their birds only to be disappointed by the kind of birds that go to the feeder. Sometimes we put up bird feeders meant for little, cute birds and end up with magpies, crows and squirrels instead. Bird feeding can be modified to help you get the birds you want and get rid of the ones you don’t want.

The first thing you can do to choose the birds you want at your feeder is pick the right kind of seed. Too many kinds of seed in one feeder will attract many birds. Choose one or two kinds of seed that attract the same kind of bird. For example, if you want cardinals and doves, you should exchange oil sunflower for safflower. Controlling food is a great way to pick the kind of bird feeding at your feeder.

Also, if it's the big birds that you want to go away, get restrictive feeders. Restrictive feeders have small perches that big birds can't land on. This is a pretty simple solution to an annoying problem that can throw off your bird feeding choices.

As for the squirrels, do not hang your bird feeder from a tree. Squirrels love the trees and will only be too grateful to have birdseed to feast on. If you have a lot of squirrels you can put a pole in the middle of your yard (make sure it's metal or some other material that squirrels can't climb) and hang the bird feeder from it. Keep the squirrels out and you'll get what you want, which is bird feeding, not squirrel snack times.