Many of us have heard the myth: Feeding birds in spring and summer will spoil them.
But, contrary to the myth, well-fed birds don’t get too lazy to search for food – they’ll just get healthy and happy! The better the food is, the more likely they’ll continue to come back. Birds, like most animals, are survivalists, and they take advantage of any food source they can find. Getting them to come back is a matter of offering them a reliable and high-quality food source.
Everything from the location of the feeder and the number of extra pests in the area, to the plants in your site and time of year can affect the birds coming and going.
Location, Location, Location!
You’ve heard it in real estate – apply it to your bird feeder’s real estate as well! Some things to consider:
Can I see the feeder(s) from my camper, motor home, or relaxation area? To derive the most fun from feeders, you will want to be able to watch the birds as they visit. Seeing the feeder from common locations can also help you to determine when it needs to be refilled.
Can I fill the feeder easily? Be sure your feeder isn’t too far from your site, or too high to fill quickly and easily. Inclement weather is a great time to have a full feeder, and not having hassles associated with filling it will make you more likely to keep it full no matter what the weather!
Is the feeder in an area that is easy to clean up? Be aware that seeds, hulls, and bird droppings are likely to accumulate under the feeder. Do no place the feeder in an area that you will be walking under regularly, if it is not easy to clean up droppings. Also, keep in mind that sunflower seed hulls contain a substance that kills grass – something that most campsite directors will not appreciate!
Keep food off the Ground
When the weather is terrible and the ground is covered with snow and ice, it can be easy to just toss the bird seed on the ground for the birds to retrieve. However, food that is left on the damp ground becomes moldy. It can be contaminated with mold toxins, bacteria from bird droppings, and other unappetizing materials. Ground feeding birds are at the risk of poisoning. To assure that your seed is healthful and not harmful, use a hanging or mounted feeder or a feeding platform with good drainage.
Keep the Squirrels Out
The best way to keep the squirrels out of your feeder is to establish a separate feeder for the squirrels. Keep it stocked with pine cones, dried corn, and other things that squirrels prefer to the smaller seeds in the bird feeder.
To get squirrels who are already in the habit of raiding your bird feeder out of the habit, try filling your feeder with safflower seeds. Squirrels don’t like them, and once they are out of the habit of visiting the feeder, you can easily replace them or mix them with other seeds. Be careful not to spill the new mix on the ground and re-engage the squirrel’s curiosity!
Use suet cakes that contain hot peppers, or sprinkle hot pepper into your regular seed. Birds cannot taste the hot pepper. However, the squirrels can and they do not like it!
Feed by the Season
Winter Feeding: Wintertime feeding is critical to long-term survival. Focusing on winter feeding can help reduce the number of deaths from starvation over the winter months. Creating a dependable food supply can also encourage springtime nesting near your feeder. In cold weather, birds need foods high in fats. Small birds burn enormous numbers of calories trying to keep warm. Expect to fill feeders more often and add suet, peanut butter, or kitchen fats to supplement their diets. Stale piecrust and donuts can also be a welcomed fatty treat!
Spring Feeding: Spring is the time when natural food supplies can often be the lowest. All the insect eggs, berries, acorns and pinecones have been eaten and plants have not yet produced new sources for the year. Keep your feeder full, even though it may seem like you don’t need to now that the coldest months have passed! Spring feeders can also offer the opportunity to attract migrating birds. When spring eggs hatch, birds will appreciate the constant and convenient food source even more as fuel for themselves as they hunt for insects for their nestlings. As spring progresses, begin to reduce the supply of bird food in the feeders.
Summer Feeding: Many bird species have more than one brood over the season. While the first brood benefits from a large spring supply of insects, later hatchlings may not have quite the same diet. Young birds need a high protein diet because they must grow and develop feathers in a short period of time. A source of calcium, such as crushed eggshells, is valuable also. Consider looking for a different variety of feed that includes these two essentials during the summer.
Fall Feeding: Fall feeding helps local birds prepare to stay in areas of reliable food sources during the winter months. It can also supply migrating birds that happen by with a replenishing meal. Increase the volume of food in your feeders as the hard frost arrives. Also, begin to make the switch in the type of foods provided, switching back to higher fat foods such as suet as birds prepare for the winter months again.
Good write-up. I don’t quite totally agree with everything you’ve went over, but you definitely have some great points in there.