asheville, Review Bird Feeding Basics to Keep Feathered Friends Well-Fed This Winter

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Review Bird Feeding Basics to Keep Feathered Friends Well-Fed This Winter

Did you know that more than 100 North American bird species supplement their natural diets with birdseed, suet, fruit and nectar obtained from backyard bird feeders? It's true! Natural food supplies are scarce during the cold days of winter, so there's no better time than the present to prepare your backyard feeders for feathered friends.

Neighborhood birds will appreciate your new feeders, but it may be a matter of hours before they discover them-- or a matter of weeks. The variation depends on the distance to bird habitat, density of nearby feeders, and the kinds of birds that might chance on the new feeder (chickadees, titmice, and house sparrows are especially quick to locate new feeders). If birds are slow to find feeders, scatter sunflower seeds on top of the feeders and on nearby surfaces such as bare soil. Bird decoys may help to lure the first visitors, and other birds will soon notice the new food source. Once birds have found your feeders, keep them coming back by providing them with the following three essential elements:

Variety of quality seed.
Fresh water for drinking and bathing.
Ample cover, preferably provided by native plants. Native plants also provide potential nesting sites and a source of natural food.
Keep in mind bird feeders also present potential risks, such as window collisions, predation, and exposure to disease.
To avoid collisions, position feeders at least three feet from the window. If collisions persist, fruit-tree netting stretched taut a few inches in front of the glass is the best deterrent.
It is also a good idea to keep cats indoors; cats kill hundreds of millions of birds annually in the United States, often pouncing on ground-feeding birds and those dazed by window collisions.

There are many different kinds of feeders and seed available and points to consider when choosing a feeder location. For tips and topics for safely attracting and feeding birds, placing feeders, and maintaining them, visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/bird_feeding/index.html.

(Image provided by the Audubon Society.)