EBENSBURG (Cambria Co.)
Homeowners can feed birds
all year long,” said Margaret
Brittingham, associate professor
of wildlife resources. “However,
it can become expensive, and
most birds will find more than
enough food in the wild during
the summer.”
Brittingham said homeown
ers should realize that a single
bird feeder will not attract every
bird in their landscape. Birds
with distinct feeding habits will
be attracted to markedly differ
ent feeders.
• Platform feeders. These
simple feeders often are nothing
more than a pile of seed on a flat
board. More elaborate models
have a roof. Ground-feeding
birds such as cardinals, spar
rows, and juncos prefer platform
feeders.
“The drawback to platform
feeders is that food often is
exposed to the elements and can
be soiled by droppings.”
Brittingham said.
• Hopper Feeders. These feed
ers fill from the top and seed
flow down to the bottom where
the birds can remove them.
Some types hang and feature
Attract Birds To Feeders
perches. These feeders attract
the greatest diversity of birds
because they are used by birds
that prefer platform feeders
along with ones that use hang
ing feeders.
•Hanging Feeders. Shaped
like a tube, this style features
small perches, attracting small
er birds such as chickadees, tit
mice and finches.
• Suet Feeders. Suet feeders
offer suet, a type of animal fat,
in a wire box or basket. These
can be hung or placed on a plat
form. They attract a variety of
birds, especially woodpeckers,
chickadees, wrens, titmice and
nuthatches.
• Thistle feeders. Thistle
seeds are very small. This tubu
lar feeder attracts mainly finch
es.
Brittingham said the menu
homeowners offer birds is cru
cial for attracting a diversity of
birds. She recommends several
types of feed.
• Black Oil Sunflower Seeds.
Eaten by large and small bird
species, this seed is the best all
around feeding seed, Brittingham
said. Finches, nuthatches, tit
mice and chickadees will use
this feed. The larger, striped
sunflower seed will attract blue
jays and cardinals.
• Seed Mixes. Brittingham
warns homeowners that some
inexpensive seed mixes contain
large amounts of seed that birds
do not eat. “Birds dislike grains
like millet, milo, hulled oats and
rice,” she said. “It seems cheaper,
but it’s more expensive in the
long run because the birds are
just tossing it on the ground.”
Brittingham recommends
buying seed mixes at a garden
supply store or pet store.
If homeowners do not want to
feed year-round, Brittingham
suggests putting bird feeders
out in October. “You can start in
September if you want to attract
some of the songbirds that
migrate through Pennsylvania,”
she added.
Homeowners should feed
through the winter and spring.
She said migratory songbirds
may come to feeders if food is
provided through May.
Brittingham suggested placing a
variety of feeder types to lure a
wide range of bird species.
“You should place feeders
close enough that iu can see
birds through a window, but far
enough away that you aren’t
bothered by discarded seeds and
bird droppings,” Brittingham
said.
Homeowners shouldn’t feel
the need to constantly refill
their feeders when the supply
runs low. Brittingham said past
research projects revealed that
birds get about 20 percent of
their food needs from bird feed
ers. “Birds depend mainly on
their natural habitat for food,”
she said. “Feeders are a supple
ment to their diet.”
Brittingham said many birds
remain loyal to their favorite
feeders, returning year after
year. She emphasized that
homeowners should remember a
few tips to keep birds coming
back for more.
• Place the feeder less that 20
feet away from cover, such as
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trees, shrubs, or brush so birds
will feel protected when feeding.
• Provide a water source,
such as a fountain or birdbath, if
there is no natural water source
nearby.
•If a home’s windows are
highly reflective, birds may fly
into them, particularly if trees
are reflected in the windows.
Brittingham suggested hanging
garden netting, which is fine
enough to be nearly transpar
ent, yet protects birds from
injuries.
“Once you decide what types
of feeders to use, you just have to
wait for the birds to come,”
Brittingham said. “If you’re just
starting to feed birds, I’d suggest
buying a good field guide so you
can identify the birds. You don’t
have to buy binoculars, but they
do help you see details that you
wouldn’t normally get to see.”
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