Earth Day and Birdfeeding Basics Part I

As you may know, Earth Day turns fifty today. While we may not be doing environmental programs, festivals, or outings today, it is still a good time to reflect on things we did to help the environment and the health human society. From recycling to planting native plants for bees, wasps, and butterflies, there are many things people can do to help the environment. It also happens that Google created a special minigame on its main webpage about the importance of bees.

A few updates  

1. I am relatively new to blogging and am playing around with layouts, themes, and how to organize the content. I may make some changes to the site overtime.
2. I have decided that midweek will be the time for new posts or articles with Wednesday Morning being my targeted work time. 
3. Some ideas that I may incorporate into the blog include a separate page or sub-section about attracting birds and wildlife, and some galleries of photos I have taken, as I learn to use the platform.
4.  The main blog will include a mix of nature content based on bird activity, observation notes and tips as well as other information such as book reviews, birdfeeder observations, places to go, and articles. 
5. If anyone has any ideas for articles or content, leave them in the comments and I look into incorporating them in blog. 

Birdfeeding 101 (Part 1)

My current birdfeeding setup. This is window mounted suet cage and hopper feeder. This is ideal for apartments, upstairs bedrooms, or classrooms.

Many birdlovers including myself first got into birds by feeding them. In my case, I loved to feed ducks, seagulls, and pigeons at local parks and my grandfather kept pigeons. For new birdwatchers or anyone who wants bring entertainment to the garden, birdfeeders are a good place to start. 

Birdfeeders can bring a wide variety of birds to the garden and provide a supplemental food during the winter. Contrary to popular belief, songbirds do not become dependent on birdfeeders to the point that they stop eating naturally or forgo migration. Instead feeders serve as a snack for adult birds while insects, wild seeds or nuts, and fruits remain important for their survival for raising young.

People can feed birds in a variety of ways. We may start out by scattering seeds, table scraps, or other items on the doorstep or lawn, while others might visit a park where chickadees or nuthatches come to your hand. After awhile, we might choose to upgrade to a more permanent setup such as a bird table (a open tray with legs or single post) or a simple tube or tray feeder hung from a tree. Most stores sell birdseed at inexpensive prices. After installing the feeder and filling it, with seed we wait for the first bird to discover it. 

Your First Feeder

With the pandemic in full swing, we are stuck at home and have a lot of free time to do other things. This is a good time for newcomers to the hobby to set up their first feeder. Many stores still sell feeders, food, and other accessories as it usually located within the garden center while online retailers deliver to your home. I will now go over some tips for setting your first feeder.

Location: Before buying food or a feeder, it is a good to take a look at your property and find a good place for the setup. If you live in an apartment or a place with a homeowners' association, make sure you check your community's policies or talk with management before feeding birds. In general, the birdfeeder should be in a place you can easily see it from a window, patio, or sitting area. That location should also be in a place you can easily access to refill or clean the feeder, and away from areas such as driveways, sidewalks, or places you may not want birds gathering. 

Placement: Birdfeeders should be placed in an area where it is easily visible to the birds but close enough to cover that visitors can escape if a hawk, falcon, or other threat approaches. Bird tables and ground feeders should be kept at least 6-10ft from shrubs or vegetation as a cat could hide and ambush the birds. In the case of hanging feeders, there are some more things to consider. Any feeder on a tree or post could be reached by squirrels or raccoons. It is important not to place the feeder in too high of a location as it would be difficult to reach for filling but placing it too low will make it easy for cats or squirrels to reach it. I find that 4-6ft is ideal for any standalone feeding station with its own pole. Baffles or guards can be used to prevent some animals from reaching the food. Good places to hang your first feeder include shepherd hooks, awnings, or a secure tree branch.

Feeder Types: Today, there are almost as many birdfeeder designs as there are brands of garden tools. Many feeders that are designed to be decorative pieces are not practical for feeding birds as they are too difficult to clean, fall apart in the elements, or do not allow enough room for birds to land. The most effective feeders include tray feeders or bird tables, tube feeders, hoppers, as well as suet cages which are used for solid foods. For your first feeder, any basic and inexpensive device will do but as I have learned, cheaper is not always better. A bargain priced plastic tube feeder or a self-assembled balsa wood kit will be destroyed by squirrels in no time, but it is also not a good idea to pay more than $20 for a feeder until you have an idea of what foods or birds you might want. Squirrel proof feeders are a little more expensive but protect your food from rodents, large birds, and if well-made can last a long time. Below are some photo examples of feeder designs commonly available in stores or online. 

Squirrel-proof tube feeder on a shepherd hook

A covered bird table in urban garden

Suet Cage and Suction Cup Feeders

Mounting: Most feeders are mounted to standalone poles, hooks, or posts and can be placed almost anywhere. Multi-hook shepherd poles can support multiple feeders or can also double as places to hang potted plants or decor. Tube, hopper, and hanging tray feeders can be installed on awnings, hooks, or tree branches, while suction cup window feeders mount to glass. Since we live in a somewhat windy climate, it is a good idea to choose a site that is sheltered from the wind or use hooks and mounts strong enough to withstand both the forces of nature or any animal that finds the setup. I often take in my feeders at night, so it may be a good idea to install a feeder in a way that it can be easily dismounted, including for cleaning. 

Foods: As with the feeders themselves, there are a sea of food options for wild birds and even the supermarket chains has 6-10 different kinds of seeds as well as speciality food. Ignoring hummingbird nectar, the most common groups of foods include seed mixes, suet, and specialized food such as mealworms. Some non-avian foods such as peanut butter, grape jelly, nuts, and fruits are safe for birds as well, but we should not serve bread to birds and minimize the use of table scraps. For beginners, I recommend using a seed mix consisting mostly of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and safflower, while suet cakes are also a clean and easy way to feed birds in small spaces. Avoid seed mixes with fillers such as milo, wheat, corn, barley, and millet (a round reddish seed) as most garden birds will not eat it with the exception of House Sparrows, cowbirds, and blackbirds. Fillers also attract rats, squirrels, rabbits, and other pests. Black sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts, or mid quality seed mixes (without grain or milo) are relatively inexpensive and attract a wide variety of birds

Good Starter Foods 

• Black Sunflower Seeds
• Safflower
• Shelled Peanuts
• Seed mixes with mostly sunflower, safflower, or peanuts 
• Suet cakes listed as peanut, insect, fruit, or no-melt mixes (the latter being for the summer)
• Seed blocks or cakes 

Foods to Avoid 

• Bargain mixes filled with grains, corn, milo, millet, or husks (the bags contain mostly reddish kernels, corn, and debris) 
• Plain millet as it attracts a narrow variety of birds 
• Thistle or Niger seed unless you are attracting goldfinches
• Food for parrots or pet birds 
• Most human foods and bread is not healthy for birds 
• Corn

Seed Mix Examples 

My personal seed blend with a mix store-brought mixes speciality seeds and mealworms

A common mid-quality blend with no fillers. Sunflower seeds and peanuts are the most popular foods for local birds

Mealworms are good for attracting warblers, wrens, thrushes or catbirds

Examples of suet blends available in stores, place these in cage feeders. 

Feeding Tips

After you get your feeder up and running, maintenance is relatively simple for the basic feeder types. 

• The food should be kept dry as rain or snow will cause the food to rot and mold.
• Replace any wet or soiled seed 
• Clean feeder setups between fillings by rinsing in a mild soap solution if they look filthy (do this at least once a month)
• Suet should be placed out of the direct sun as most blends will melt above 30 degrees C (or 86F) or use no-melt blends. Suet that becomes wet will grow mold 
• Hummingbird feeders should be emptied and cleaned weekly
• If squirrels are a problem, relocate the feeder to another area, install baffles to poles, or buy a squirrel resistant feeder 
• To minimize House Sparrows and other pest species, stick to sunflower seeds, safflower, or other foods or just offer suet. 
• Allow a week for birds to find your feeder and consider scattering some seed on the ground nearby. Chickadees or cardinals are often the first birds to find a new feeder. 

The second part of this guide will go over how to increase the diversity of birds that come to your feeders and explain common problems we will run into. Stay tuned and enjoy the outdoors.