If you love birding and have set up a feeder to attract birds,
then you will have the best results by using wild bird seed. Wild
bird seed comes in a variety of mixes and will attract various
types of birds. When choosing a feeder to fill with your choice
of wild bird seed, take extra care in determining what size holes
your feeder has. If the holes are large, you will attract larger
wild birds while smaller holes will attract smaller birds.
You should also take care to note how much of the wild bird seed
will fall to the ground. This can encourage growth of various
plants that may not be desired, as well as attract a host of
little critters that you never intended to feed. To avoid this,
you may want to set up your wild bird seed in a tray type feeder.
This will allow the birds to eat while the seeds are spread
out horizontally and lessen the chance of seeds scattering
on the ground below.
There are many styles of bird feeders available on the market,
but whichever feeder you choose, the number one rule of thumb
is to make sure that your feeder is clean at all times. If
you allow your feeder to become dirty, you will eventually
cause your backyard visitors more harm than good. A dirty bird
feeder can spread parasites, germs, bacteria and disease. It
is of the utmost importance that you clean your bird feeder
regularly. The best way to clean your bird feeders is by using
a mixture of water and bleach. It is recommended that you clean
your bird feeders at least once every two weeks. Be sure that
your feeders are completely dry before adding more wild bird
seed to them, this will prevent them from becoming moldy and causing even
more sickness to your wild bird visitors.
Bird watching is not only a joyous experience for adults, but
many children can benefit from bird watching and help participate
in the feeding process as well. You can encourage children
to journal the various birds that visit your feeder. |
