hungry birds

           Last time here, I went over habitat and its importance to the species and behavior of birds where you live. Remember, they like cover, so trees and bushes make for a good feeding area.

           Today I’ll offer some of the things birds like to eat.

  Birds need energy. They fly, for goodness sake! So they expend a lot of energy just getting around. Just fly down to the store and fly back, and see how tired you get.

              This is why birds eat damn near anything. No kidding; I have put out anything from bread to leftover grits and rice, and they have eaten it.
               Suet is an illustration of how birds eat anything. Suet is beef fat. They love it.
               Blue Jays will scoop up four or five shelled peanuts at a time. And when they fly off, here come the nuthatches and titmice to grab up the rest.
               Cut an orange in half, and leave it out. If you're in the South, a mockingbird will show interest. And farther north, so will an oriole. Ever hear of grape jelly to attract orioles? Some people swear by it.
               Apples, grapes, raisins and other fruits? They like these, too.
               Some folks buy mealworms to keep their bluebirds happy. I've never tried this, but if you've had luck, let me know.
               I have even read that crushed egg shells provide the calcium birds need during nesting. I’ve never had luck with this, though.
               But what birds prefer, and what brings birds to feeders anywhere at any time of the year, is this: black-oil sunflower seed. This stuff is fairly easy to find. Garden shops, bird feeding centers and even some grocery stores have it. I go to Lowe's. It offers the best bargain in my area. I get a 20-pound bag for $14-$15. Yes, it is more expensive than mixed seed. But it draws the birds.
               I use mixed seed, too. But I get it in smaller quantities. It works for the ground-feeding sparrows.
               Then there's suet. This comes in various varieties and flavors for $1 or $2 a block. These little blocks fit nicely into a suet cage that you can hang most anywhere. Sometimes, I'll make a cake of suet myself from leftover stuff. (I'll give you a recipe later) But it is such a mess, I wouldn't necessarily recommend making your own, because it's cheap enough just to buy at the store. Suet attracts "clinging" birds such as woodpeckers, titmice and chickadees.
               Thistle and Niger seed bring in goldfinches, which are a beautiful bright yellow in the summer. You can get thistle in little mesh "socks." Or you can buy a bag of it and put it in a tube thistle feeder.
               And, of course, sugar water is a favorite of those amazing little hummingbirds.

What attracts what:

Sunflower seed - just about anything
mixed seed - again, most anything. But ground-feeding birds such as sparrows, doves and juncos seem more suited to it. You can get this in a variety of mixtures, so just see what works for you.
suet - clingers: woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and titmice.
peanuts - jays, nuthatches, titmice.
peanut butter - clingers (just smear some on a tree - you'll see)
Thistle or Niger seed - goldfinches and some other finches
fruit - mockingbirds, jays, orioles and some others with bills designed for picking at things
sugar water - hummingbirds
leftovers - Look, if you've run out of the other stuff and can't get to the store right away, just toss out some bread ends, leftover rice - most anything with wheat or grain in it.   

               Next time, I’ll cover feeders. Meanwhile, here are the species I saw in my feeding area today:

               AM, sunny, windy 39 degrees, 20 minutes

               Tufted Titmouse

               American Goldfinch

               Carolina Wren

               Chipping Sparrow

               Brown-headed Nuthatch

               White-throated Sparrow

               Cardinal

               Dark-eyed Junco

               Song Sparrow

 

Daily flights



A Northern Cardinal and House Finches

 

            My backyard is an airport - hundreds of flights daily. During the fall the Yankees fly in from up north. And in spring they head back. I even have something that looks like a control tower.

               Only it's a full of sunflower seed.
               That's right; my airport is for the birds. (That's the last time I'll use that cliché - promise.)
               I like birds. I've been a birder for about 20 years. And I was feeding birds in my back yard before that.
               I came to like birding because I like the outdoors, and birding is a pretty good companion to camping, hiking or just walking in the neighborhood. But when I can't get out to find birds, I like bringing them to me. And that's the purpose of this site: birding from home.
               I'll be posting my observations here regularly. And I will provide some tips on identification. But I will also offer tips on stuff you need to attract birds.

               So lets get started with one of the basics.

             Where do you live?

              Birds are everywhere; cities, parks, the countryside ... everywhere. Open your window or door and chances are you'll hear them. Look out your window and you have a view into the world of birds. I often do a bird count when I'm walking for exercise. I have caught a cart ride with golfers, just to bird. Get more birds than the golfers do. Sometimes I camp with hunters.
               But the habitat around your home has a lot to do with what types of birds you see and when. I live in North Carolina, a pretty good place for seeing various species. Seasonal migration accounts for much of this variety. We are in spring now, so you will have a few different species around than during the summer or winter. For most of us in North America, the hummingbirds, chimney swifts, purple martins and many warbler species will soon be returning from South and Central America, where they hang out in the winter. But around here, the juncos, some woodpecker, nuthatch and wren species are still in town for the winter. Then there are species that hang out around your home all year. It just depends on where you are. Just keeping an eye outside will help you get an idea of how seasons affect what you see. Bird guides help, too. But we'll get to that later.
               Habitat is a big deal. If you live in a suburban area like I do, you'll have 30 or more species visiting your feeder at various times in the year. In the country, maybe even more. If you live in an urban area, there are plenty of species that don't mind hanging out around people. Crows have followed humans around for thousands of years. Pigeons are all over. And city folk may even get a glance at a falcon. They like pigeons. People who live around Central Park in New York, have lots of opportunities to get a glance at various species.
               If you have trees, shrubs or thickets in or around your yard, that's good. Birds like cover. People with elaborate gardens can get a lot of different birds at various times of the year.
               I have two pine trees and a line of tall shrubs in my back yard, all within 10-20 feet of my bird feeders. So my birds dart to and from the cover to feed up. 
           Just spend a few minutes each day looking out and making note of what you see. You'll get an idea of birds' behavior in relation to your habitat.
            And come back later for info on stuff birds like to eat ... and more.