National Bird-Feeding Month was created to advance and publicize the wild bird feeding and watching hobby and each February, a new and unique theme is adopted. The theme for 2010 is “Hatching Out – An Introduction to the Wild Bird Feeding Hobby.”
National Bird-Feeding Month reveals the joy of wild bird feeding by surveying basic techniques to create a successful wild bird feeding and watching experience. To join millions of other wild bird feeding hobbyists, you just need a bird feeder, bird seed, and a place from which to watch your birds. “Whether you live in a rural, suburban, or urban environment there are always birds in your neighborhood you can attract to your yard” says Dr. David J. Horn, Associate Professor of Biology at Millikin University. To attract birds to your yard, having the right combination of food and feeders is key to your success.
Horn who recently completed Project Wildbird, the largest study on wild bird seed and feeder preferences in North America, suggests that a great way to get started is to put out a tubular feeder filled with black-oil sunflower seed. “Wild bird feeding is not only for the birds, but also for the people who feed them. Thus, you should place your feeder in a location where you can readily enjoy watching your birds” says Horn.
Horn recommends that you add to your experience with a variety of bird feeders, novel foods, and binoculars to view your feathered friends. “While black-oil sunflower is a popular choice for many birds, you can enhance the feeding experience by adding new combinations of feeders and seed” says Horn. For example, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and titmice are attracted especially to whole peanuts, and Nyjer is popular for attracting goldfinches. Tubular feeders are appropriate for small-bodied birds, but larger birds usually require larger feeders such as hoppers and platforms.
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