Feeding Wild Birds

First, let me just state for the record...I am no expert on attracting and feeding wild birds! But I have noticed a few things since I bought my home 5 years ago that may help bring birds and backyard fun to your backyard paradise.

Let’s talk about the bird for a moment. The bird, the wild bird that is, you may have noticed is not particularly “outgoing” when it comes to the human species (unless we’re referring to a Seagull or a Voulture, neither of which I’m assuming you want to attract to your yard, or those friendly Kauai birds I have pictured above). The bird does not warm up to the human such as a squirrel does, when it is searching for food.

Sidebar: I once had a squirrel leap on top of my leg and start sniffing my pocket thinking that there was something in there...quite frightening! And when I was a child, my family fed a squirrel from our patio door every morning. One morning, we slept in. Big mistake. The squirrel chewed a 10-inch hole through the screen.

Anyways, you won't be feeding wild birds in your yard by pulling these types of stunts (most of the time, I’m sure there are acceptions). Cardinals, chickadees, humming birds, orioles, blue jays, and others must be “lured” into your yard by making it attractive and safe for them.

First and foremost on this list is to locate your bird feeder in an area that has some protection – such as near a hedge or shrub. I have one bird feeder in the front yard that is about 7 feet from a row of evergreen hedges, and the birds love it! Fortunately, this is also right outside my living room window, so as long as I don’t make too much noise, I can watch the birds feast themselves in the morning and late afternoon.

Second on the priority list for feeding wild birds is using the right type of food for the birds that you want to attract. Using the types of food that birds would normally eat is best. Garden's Alive offers fruit, vegetable-based, and grub foods that birds LOOOOOOVE!!! You'll have a great deal of success feeding wild birds with these products!

If you're like me and sometimes need a "lazy man's approach" to bird feeding, try some type of cardinal or songbird mix. The seed usually contains enough variety that it will attract cardinals and other birds common to your environment. I have used both of these mixes to attract a wide variety of birds to my yard including cardinals and blue birds.

Don't be afraid to try different seeds out in your bird feeder – perhaps buying smaller bags until you find a mix that works well for you. Make a note of the type of birds that you see when you have a particular food out. I recently bought the wild bird mix from Kaytee, and I was not as satisfied with this mix as I have been with others.

Some of my favorites have included oil sunflowers, striped sunflower, safflower, and sunflower hearts and chips. I have purchased different types of food to place in different feeders, and then grouped those feeders together to attract different birds. My two favorite types of seed from Kaytee have been Songbird’s Premium Food and Birder’s Blend. Both seem to be highly desirable to a wide variety of birds.

My neighbor has a feeder specifically designed for peanuts, and I know he's successful at feeding wild birds such as bluejays, woodpeckers and nuthatches. Unfortunately, he also attracts a lot of squirrels, but we’ll discuss that later!

Some food sold in stores I have found to be less effective than what you could do yourself. For example, orioles are around for a brief period in the spring in southeastern Wisconsin. During this time, a halved orange stuck on a post or anywhere it can be "pecked" at easily without moving, will attract lots of orioles to your yard.

Photo Courtesy of jasonb42882

I have also tried hummingbird food from the store – the kind with the red dye, and had no luck attracting hummingbirds until my neighbor told me to mix one part sugar and four parts water (no dye). The hummingsbirds loved it! The mixture needs to be freshened at least once a week – with sufficient cleaning of the feeder – to keep them happy. Keep the mixture in the fridge for freshness.

Third on the priority list for feeding wild birds is to ensure that you maintain a regular supply of food! Birds will go where the food is. It will take a little bit to attract the birds once you establish your feeder because they are not accustomed to food being present at your location. Once you attract them, don’t send them away by leaving a feeder empty! Keep them coming back for more time and time again.

Squirrels - how to attract squirrels!!!

I have shephard hooks for my bird feeders which aren’t the easiest for squirrels to climb, although believe me, they will find a way. I need to install one of those “skirts” that wrap around the shephard hook and prevent the squirrel from scaling it. I also intend to try setting up a squirrel feeder so that they can focus on that instead of the bird feeder. I’ve been reluctant to do this because I worry that there’ll be even more squirrels if I do that.

I have recently read about a couple of GREAT ideas at keeping squirrels off of shephard hooks! I will reference that book soon, and keep you posted! Come back soon for this update.

Good luck feeding wild birds in your yard!

Garden's Alive prides itself on providing environmentally responsible products, including bird food. Check out the Tasty Bird Food available from this "green" company for feeding wild birds in your yard. (Ok, I don't know that it's tasty, but if I were a bird, I'd definitely check this stuff out!!)

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