Bird Feeders

Jenga! asked:


I used to love having bird feeders when I lived in Colorado. However, once I found out a neighbor was feeding squirrels, I realized why they were eating all my bird seed. So I stopped putting it out because it would just end up in a big pile on the ground. Now I live in Kansas and am ready to try again. Any suggestions?

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Rachel Dawson asked:


If you buy new bird feeders, you should be willing to carry out some quick maintenance tasks from time to time. These tasks include cleaning the feeders themselves, cleaning the area around the feeders, and refilling the food supply. Cleaning the bird feeders and the surrounding area keeps the birds healthy. Refilling the food supply on a regular basis keeps the birds coming around on a regular basis. If you fill your feeders infrequently, birds will look to other sources for their food. By maintaining your feeders, you help the birds, and you can enjoy them on a regular basis.

Cleaning your bird feeders should prevent them from spreading disease among the birds that eat from them. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least once a week. With other types of bird feeders, however, you can clean less frequently. But you should still clean them regularly, at least once per season. If you feed year round, that means about 4 times per year.

When you clean, follow these steps. Prepare a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Dump out any remaining feed. Wash the feeder with hot, soapy water. Sterilize it by dipping it into the bleach solution. Rinse the feeder well. Allow it to dry completely before you refill it. Return it to its regular position.

You will also need to clean up the area surrounding your bird feeders. Grab a rake and clear the ground of seed hulls. After they have sat a while, they begin to decompose. If left around your feeders, they can spread disease among the birds. You don’t have to rake them up every week, but it might be a good idea to attend to this task whenever you clean your feeders so you don’t forget.

A more frequent maintenance task you’ll need to carry out is refilling the feeders. Attending to this job on a regular basis ensures that the birds have a regular supply of food. A regular supply of food, in turn, keeps them visiting your yard on a regular basis. If you refill the feeders infrequently, the birds will move on to another food source. The particular kind of feed you use will depend on the type of birds you want to attract. Black-oil sunflowers seeds and mixed seeds are popular choices. Sunflower seeds probably appeal to the widest variety of birds. You also have millet, corn, red milo, and suet. In addition, fruit attracts some species of birds.

If you want birds to come visiting, check out the many types of bird feeders available. Some, with decorative designs, are quite appealing to the eye. Determine whether you can carry out some basic maintenance tasks, such as cleaning the feeders regularly, cleaning the area around the feeders, and refilling the feeders with food. If you can clean a few times a year, and refill the feeders as needed, you should be off to a great start in attracting a variety of birds and protecting them from disease.



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Dave Joa asked:


Birds really are great fun and bird watching is just a great way to get out of the house and into the country to enjoy a wilder environment. And you get the added benefit of seeing all the local birds in the area you visit.

When you see birds flying around and doing what birds do, even if they are just at your garden bird feeders or nearby bird houses, you will that it is a fascinating experience that already provides great enjoyment to many other like-minded bird watchers.

Have Much More Fun By Going Bird Watching!

Birding is now a very popular hobby and more birders are joining in every year. Due to increases in available time for other activities many of use now have the time to go birding.

Many of us also realize that being interested in the natural world will provide a better appreciation for the environment and the habitat in which birds live. Habitat conservation is going to be key as human populations explode and critical environments disappear.

Before going off on their first birding trips new birders should learn some of the basics for successful bird watching to avoid the potential for disappointment. Having a bird feeder or bird house in the back yard is a great idea, but to see more birds you need to visit their local habitat to find them.

You Must Be There At Dawn To See More Birds!

In order to see the greatest number of birds possible an early start is imperative as this when the birds are most active. Wherever your birding trip takes you, you will always have more success early in the morning even if it is in your yard, in a local park or woods or on a beach.

After a good rest you will need to be prepared to get up very early and be on location at dawn. This will ensure you get to the right place before the birds become active and your arrival will not disturb them. The couple of hours or so after dawn are the busiest time for birds and you will surprised at how many you see. If you arrive late you will see less birds.

Clothes With Bright Colors Must Be Left At Home!

Bright colored clothes will scare the birds as they will see you easier and take avoiding action by diving into the nearest bushes as soon as they detect your movements and because of this you will not see many birds.

As a birder you should try and wear clothing that has a more natural and darker color that fits in with the area and foliage where you will be bird watching.

It is a great idea to wear anything that will camouflage you when in the birds habitat while bird watching. Get the ultimate gear if you want to see the biggest number of birds or when you go into an area where birds are nervous and difficult to see.

Keep The Noise Down Or You Will Scare The Birds!

While you are bird watching always move slowly and above all quietly. If you are with a friend and continuously talking you will never see many birds as the noise you make will scare them off and the fact that you are talking will drown out any noise the birds might make so you will never hear them either.

So if you have to communicate with other birders with you just whisper quietly and when close to birds you are trying to see use hand signals or gestures to indicate where the birds are, but do not move you arms around to point out locations as if the birds see this then they will be gone!

Try and remain behind larger things like tree trunks and bushes so that the birds do not see your silhouette or any movement as this will disturb them and they might leave in a hurry.

Stay On The Trail To Minimize Disturbance

You will avoid disturbing the birds by staying on the trail and by not trying to go through the undergrowth. Also you should never try to flush out a bird or chase them in any way as this could put stress on the birds you are trying to see and force them to flee.

The best way to see birds is to let them come to you and if you find a good location and make yourself comfortable this will happen and can sometimes give the best views. A bird feeder and bird houses in your back yard is also a great idea as again lets the birds come to you and over time they will become less nervous.

Do not approach birds too closely especially during the spring and summer breading season and definitely do not go near their nests.

Get Binoculars Or A Scope For Better Birding

It is easy and safer to see birds from a distance and this is why you should invest in a good pair of binoculars and as you get more serious about watching birds you might also want to buy a spotting scope to get the closest views of birds possible.

If you are a lover of nature then bird watching can be extremely enjoyable. It does not have to be expensive and although birding can become a bit of a challenge it always remains great fun.

It is easy to begin by just putting up bird feeders and bird houses for nesting in your yard and get enjoyment from watching the birds as they come and go.

Make Sure You Enjoy The Birds Wherever You Go!

Go on a bird watching trip to find more birds. Find out the best places to go from birding website sand online guides and plan a day out or a weekend away to find more birds and ones that are different to what you see every day.



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Heads will roll asked:


Its really hard to get the stuff out of them.

And how can you repel spiders from them?

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asked:


I do feed the squirrels, away from my feeders, but they still go after my feeders. I have a spinning thing on tree that you put cobs of corn on, and have a wooden thingy that holds the big bars of seeds/corn for them. They go through that in 2 days!

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Jackie A asked:


Squirrels get in my wild bird feeders & eat the seeds, leaving the birds with nothing. I heard that putting cayenne in the feeders would stop the squirrels from eating the seeds. However, I need to know if this will hurt the birds before I try the cayenne. Thanks to anyone who can answer my question.

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