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Wild Bird Feeding

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Wild Bird Feeding

Author: Michael Rasco

Wild bird feeding is an engaging recreation that often grows into a passion. There are many wild birds that will visit bird feeders, all of which are intriguing and fun to watch. Wild bird feeding is also a great way to demonstrate stewardship of the surrounding world, helping to restore a bit of the natural balance that humans are notorious for upsetting. The following paragraphs will describe a few of my favorite wild birds that may be seen at bird feeders, which foods will attract wild birds to feeders, and the effects of wild bird feeding on local ecology.

The Featured Players

Restricting the conversation solely to songbirds, various species still exhibit greatly differing feeding habits. Still, there are a great number of wild birds that will visit feeders. Some, like finches or the oft-dreaded house sparrow, may be frequent diners at a bird feeder, while others, like meadowlarks and scarlet tanagers, will rarely visit them. Of course, season, weather, competition, and food preferences all play a part in attracting particular birds to wild bird feeders.
It is quite difficult to list all possible feeder birds along with their favorite foods and behavioral peculiarities, as many an accomplished ornithologist can attest. Since I am not an ornithologist, I will keep the following list simple and concise. With no further ado, I give you these stars of the bird feeder stage.

The Nuthatch

These quirky birds have a compact, stubby build. They are generally a bluish-gray on their backs and wings, with black or brown on their heads. Nuthatches have relatively long, straight bills that aid in their seed cracking ability. In fact, nuthatches got their name from their habit of "hatching" seeds and nuts by wedging them into a crevice and hacking at them with their bills.
A more remarkable claim to fame may be their ability to scurry up and down tree trunks, seemingly defying gravity. They perform this acrobatic act in search of insects and their eggs. They supplement this diet with generous helpings of seeds, nutmeats, and suet offered at a bird feeder. Nuthatches will accept many types of bird feeders; hanging feeders, platform feeders, suet feeders, and windowpane feeders are all welcomed.

The Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Woodpeckers are another spectacular example of nature's limitless diversity. Woodpeckers are flying jackhammers that burrow out holes in trees in search of food, and sometimes, to make a home. They are all irresistible eye-catchers; pictured here is the red-bellied woodpecker in action. This particular woodpecker is at times called the zebra woodpecker because of the distinctive white striping on its back and wings. The male's crown is red all the way down to the nape of his neck, while the female shows red only just above her bill and on the nape, leaving the crown purely white. Both sexes have the characteristic red patch on their bellies, but it is a bit paler on the females.
Red-bellied woodpeckers do eat insects, but they are largely herbivorous. They often dine on seeds, fruit, and nuts, including cashews, almonds, and acorns. To attract red-bellied woodpeckers to a wild bird feeder, try using pieces of orange or a dab of peanut butter. They will also enjoy nutmeats or some nice, high-energy suet.

The American Goldfinch

The American goldfinch is an easy favorite of many wild bird feeder owners. The reasons are spectacularly clear. The striking plumage of the adult male in breeding season is unmistakable. He is a vibrant lemon yellow on his body, while his wings and crown are pitch-black. In the winter, the male American goldfinch loses most of the black on his cap, leaving only a small black area just above his bill. The rest of his crown and his back become a dark sandstone color, though he still has yellow extending in a broad line from his eyes back, then down and around to his throat, which is also yellow. This leaves him with a dark patch on the sides of his face, as if he had painted his cheeks.
The plumage of the female American goldfinch also changes seasonally. The summer breeding season finds her a bright yellow on her underparts, while her head and back are an olive green. She does not have a black cap like the male, but she does have black wings. In the winter, she is a darker green above, and her breast and belly become a grayish white.
Another reason people love the American goldfinch is that these birds love wild bird feeders. They eat many types of seeds, including thistle, hemp, sunflower seeds, millet, and nutmeats. They are gregarious birds that will usually travel in groups, often making a bird feeder a very busy place.
The American goldfinch is a year-round resident of most of the upper two-thirds of the U.S., extending into southern Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. The breeding range of a portion of the American goldfinch population comprises much of the lower one-third of Canada. These birds will migrate in winter to the southern and southwestern United States, with the effect that virtually all of the U.S. and southern Canada will host American goldfinches at least part of the year.

The Dark-Eyed Junco

Another common North American bird is the dark-eyed junco. Juncos nest on the ground, and they prefer to feed on the ground. They often have a difficult time when it snows, as their main source of food is buried. Wild bird feeders really go a long way in helping dark-eyed juncos and other ground-feeding birds during those tough times. A winter offering of suet may be particularly beneficial in keeping a junco's energy levels and body heat up. They will enjoy a wild bird feeder containing peanuts, sunflower seeds, millet, or cracked corn as well.
Dark-eyed juncos are a species consisting of twelve subspecies, each with its own semi-distinct coloration. Generally, they will have a gray, black, or brown head and breast, and a white belly. The outer two or three feathers of their long tails are also white. Dark-eyed juncos have small bills that are pink to cream in color. The juncos' breeding territory encompasses most of Canada and Alaska. In the winter, they are common throughout much of the U.S., excluding the southern tips of Florida and Texas.

The Northern Cardinal

The Northern cardinal is a non-migratory bird whose range stretches from the Great Plains of the United States to the east coast, and includes southern Arizona and New Mexico. Though considered common in these parts, many people feel a sense of awe every time they see a male cardinal. His bold red plumage, regal crest, and black facial masking surely set him apart. His mate will have the same very recognizable shape, but she will be of a buffy brown color, with red remaining on the wings.
Cardinals generally feed on the ground, but they are not at all opposed to bird feeders. Cardinals are attracted to wild bird feeders with sunflower seeds, melon seeds, or peanut butter. Not surprisingly, the northern cardinal is many peoples' favorite bird feeder patron - not only because of their striking appearance, but also for their pleasant song.

The Human Element

Humans are amazing creatures. Our ability to adapt to situations, and to adapt situations to ourselves, is what has ensured our survival these many millennia. Ironically, it is precisely that ability which now threatens that survival. We have come a long way as a species, especially in terms of technology. We have developed such a capacity for invention, that not only does it boggle the mind - it often improves and lengthens life, as well.
Certainly, we have made many mistakes. This is usually a result of rushing on to our next clever thing before we have fully considered the effects of the current one. We never have to stop moving forward - though we may need to redefine what "forward" is - we simply need to be a bit more thoughtful about our actions. Perhaps we can attain this goal through individual stewardship of our immediate environs. Is there a reason we cannot?
A person can demonstrate stewardship of our world in many ways. Planting a tree, buying organic foods, recycling, and reducing fuel use are just a few easy examples.
Feeding wild birds is an ecologically beneficial example of stewardship that is also very entertaining. New backyard birders often find themselves quickly engrossed in the lives of the birds at their wild bird feeders.

A Final Thought

We reach monumental goals through the accomplishment of a series of smaller goals. Feeding wild birds is a small, but valuable, step toward finding a healthy and balanced - while modern and productive - life within this natural world.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nature-articles/wild-bird-feeding-75654.html

About the Author

Michael Rasco is the owner of UtopiaBirdHouses.com, a website committed to providing high quality birding products and wild bird information.

9 Responses to “Wild Bird Feeding”

1. Michelle S says:

   February 17, 2007 at 1:11 pm

   any precautions when feeding the wild birds, because of bird flu?
   I enjoy feeding the wild birds especially during the winter. Staying warm and finding food is probably not easy for them. Are there any precautions I need to take because of the bird flu other than washing my hands?
2. cralin9 says:

   March 14, 2007 at 7:28 am

   is there someone to help with wild bird feeding?
   I am disabled,and need help obtainnig wild bird seed,hard to keep up with the one’s that have gathered in my yard lately,,they help me to keep going,even though disablity is growing worse,can someone help me with feed for them please
3. BlueWorld says:

   June 6, 2008 at 5:50 pm

   Bird feeding – how to attract and feed wild birds away from home?
   I’ve loved birds for many, many years, but I never really thought about feeding and watching them until now! I’m a road biker, and with plenty of natural beauty around where I live, I come across plenty of birds on my rides. Today I biked out to a couple ponds and tossed bird seed here and there, trying to lure some birds into a free meal.

   It didn’t go so well. They either ignored me entirely, or I tossed the seed to close to them and I scared them off. I was using a common wild bird mix from the grocery store, but the birds didn’t seem too interested.

   Is it fairly hard to get the attention of small wild birds? Do you have any tips for me? I’d really like to get a couple birds close to me so I can film them.

   Thanks!
4. Romi M says:

   November 22, 2008 at 8:43 pm

   WIld Bird Feeding in apartment?
   My neighbor downstairs hates me feeding wild birds so I stopped it. Is it Ok for me to feed them since they wait 4 me when I come back after a 2 month break. Not only that it is so cold (below 0) that they come back to me so hungry. This is such a bad situation.
   I saw a baby dove with the parents running on my balcony. They come back when they see the shutters of my window open. Also the chickadees and woodpeckers simple love the food.
   The squirrel is a menace I want it to stop coming here what is my best bet.
5. 130-142 varisty county wrestler says:

   October 30, 2010 at 2:52 pm

   wild bird feeding question?
   where i live theres a lot of wild birds and especially the every growing population of some sort of domesticated green parrots or finches… when my bread or bagels go stale i decided to give them to the birds which they seem to enjoy…so i been doing this a lot lately cause i like being a nice guy. but my question is, feeding stale bread and bagels bad for wild birds? are there any home foods that i can feed to birds when they expire or should i just buy a bag of bird seeds?
6. Anonymous says:

   November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

   I am uncertain as to how I could help you. If perhaps you lived near me I would gladly run the errand for you. If you need to know the best all around food I would suggest black oil sunflower seeds. These attract the most variety of birds. They can be purchased in 50lb bags for around 10 dollars. Is there a feed store near you? Maybe they would consider having some one deliver the seed to your home. This is the best thing I can think of. Good Luck.
7. Anonymous says:

   November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

   Don’t worry about catching bird flu from wild birds.
   First of all, bird flu is carried by domestic poultry, not wild birds.
   Second, there has not been one single documented case of bird flu in the Western hemisphere (although if you are asking the question from the UK, this will mean nothing to you).
   Just wash you hands because you should after handling any wild animal, not because you worry about bird flu.
8. Anonymous says:

   November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

   You can put bird feeders around your own yard and film them there. They have to get used to a regular meal. That way they will come back. If they are out and about you will have to feed them they a bunch of times before they will sit there and
   feed. Plant some big sunflowers in your yard also. They will attract gold finches house finches and cardinals for sure. Plant red flowers to attract humming birds. This is good to attract gold finches also. Save your cooking grease and put it in coffee cans. Store these in the fridge and put them out in the winter time. They will learn that there is suet in there. Birds will come from miles around if you feed them right. I guess a lot has to do with where you live and what they eat. I am using Kentucky as my example.
9. Anonymous says:

   November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

   I doubt it is illegal to feed wild birds … is it possible to put a piece of outdoor carpet on your deck to keep the mess off the porch below you?

   The squirrel will come no matter what you do … (except you could shoot it but that is mean) …. look, if the birds count on you for food and are waiting for you to feed them, try and make a deal to sweep the downstairs neighbor’s porch once a week or something and feed them anyway. If I were you I would just feed them. I can’t handle animals asking me for food and withholding it because of some selfish neat freak who doesn’t like their mess!