Bird Feeding Basics

While most wild birds rely on wild foods for most of their meals, more than 100 North American species supplement natural foods with birdseed, suet, fruit and nectar obtained from feeders. Bird feeding can benefit birds while also providing pleasure for people throughout the year. Feeders benefit birds most during the winter when natural food supplies are scarce. However, additional species visit feeders during the spring and fall migrations, and some nesting birds utilize feeders during the summer.

To keep birds coming back to your feeders, provide them with three essential elements: the right variety of quality seed, a source of fresh water for drinking and bathing, and ample cover, preferably provided by native plants. Native plants also provide potential nesting sites and a source of natural food.

Bird feeders also present risks, potentially increasing the chances of window collisions, predation, and exposure to disease.

Following are some tips for safely attracting birds to your feeders.

Locate feeders at different levels. Sparrows, juncos, and towhees usually feed on the ground, while finches and cardinals feed in shrubs, and chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers feed in trees.

To avoid crowding and attract the greatest variety of species, provide table-like feeders for ground feeding birds, hopper or tube feeders for shrub and treetop feeders, and suet feeders well off the ground for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees.

Offer a variety of seeds in separate feeders. A variety of seeds will attract the greatest variety of birds. To avoid waste, offer different seeds in different feeders. Black oil sunflower seed appeals to the greatest number of birds. Offer sunflower seeds, nyger (thistle) seeds, and peanuts in separate feeders.

When using blends, choose mixtures containing sunflower seeds, millet and cracked corn—the three most popular types of birdseed. Birds that are sunflower specialists will readily eat the sunflower seed and toss the millet and corn to the ground, to be
eaten by ground-feeding birds such as sparrows and juncos. Mixtures of peanuts, nuts and dried fruit are attractive to woodpeckers, nuthatches and titmice.
Relatively few species prefer milo, wheat, and oats, which are featured in less expensive blends.

Provide suet during cool weather only.

Suet (beef fat) attracts insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice. Place the suet in special feeders or net onion bags at least five feet from the ground to keep it out of the reach of dogs. Do not put out suet during hot weather as it can turn rancid; also, dripping fat can damage natural waterproofing on bird feathers.

Mix peanut butter and corn meal.

Peanut butter is a good substitute for suet in the summer. Mix one part peanut butter with five parts corn meal and stuff the mixture into holes drilled in
a hanging log or into the crevices of a large pinecone. This all-season mixture attracts woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, and occasionally, warblers.

Provide fruit for berry-eating birds.

Fruit specialists such as robins, waxwings, bluebirds, and mockingbirds rarely eat birdseed. To attract these birds, soak raisins and currants in water overnight, then place them on a table feeder, or purchase blends with a dried fruit mixture. To attract orioles and tanagers, skewer halved oranges onto a spike near other feeders, or provide nectar feeders.

Source: The National Audubon Society