In winter many of us put out food and water for garden
birds not only to help them through the hardest time of the
year but also because they are such a pleasure to see.
Living near the river as I do I put out food all year round
and enjoy a wide variety of visitors, but many people I
have spoken to about my passion say that either they don't
see very many birds, or that even the food they put out
sits there untouched for week son end until they finally
through it away.
What a shame this is.
Now certainly, there is a chance that this is simply a
result of there not being very many hungry birds around -
perhaps a neighbor feeds the birds regularly or there has
been a bumper crop of seeds and fruits in the fall. However
it is likely for another reason.
The first of these is that the garden bird feeders may have
been sited in the wrong place. Birds like to feel safe when
feeding and so while very hungry birds will get used to a
feeder almost anyway, the more wary species, or those less
hungry, may stay away from your feeders simply because they
don't feel safe there.
It is normal to place feeders out in the open so you can
cclearly see the birds that visit but bear in mind that
this is exactly what makes garden birds feel insecure.
A better location for your feeders is an area where there
is some degree of cover. Placing feeders in or near trees,
bushes and hedges seem to work best and attract the
greatest number of winter visitors.
However there is another element at bay here - and that is
the actual food you are putting out.
You see, different birds like to eat different foods - just
as they would in nature. Some eat seeds, others insects,
some fruit and so on.
Certainly there is generally some overlap in wild birds,
but if you aren't putting out a full range of goodies then
it is unlikely you are attracting all the brids that you
could.
When I have mentioned this to people in the past - and they
have resired their feeders then added a range of food
stuffs they normally report back within a few weeks that
they are seeing considerably more birds in their garden.
But what foods should you put out? Well try peanuts, seed
and fat balls for a start. These seem like the 3 main
stamples of the wild bird food trade and should attract far
more birds than if you only had one of them out.
You will likely find your local birds have a specific
favorite. For example in my garden they eat the fat balls
as quickly as I put them out while hardly touching the seed.
But you can also add all sorts of extras. For example, a
bowl of mealworms is usually popular, as are scraps from
the table. Try things like bacon rind, uneaten meat, bread
and fruit and I think you will notice the difference in a
very short space of time.
Even better, it means less waste from your table to get rid
of - and your garden will be full of stunning birds right
throughout the coldest months of the year.
----------------------------------------------------
We recommend you visit http://www.AllGardenBirdFeeders.com
for more advice on wild birds.
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=50280
0 comments
Post a Comment