Wild Bird Feeding

BIRD FEEDING TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Click here for a quick video that will introduce you to Basic Bird Feeding!

Tube feeders are practical.  Choose one easy to clean.  Some styles have a bottom that opens for easy cleaning.  Seed holes come in different sizes for different size seeds. Most feeders have medium size holes.

Seed options.
  • Mixed seeds attract a variety of birds, but the birds push the seed they don’t like onto the ground.
  • Single seeds attract a limited group of birds, but they are less likely to be pushed onto the ground.
    • Tidy Patio mix is a non-sprouting mix. 
    • Safflower is a single seed that little birds like but not squirrels or most large birds.  It may sprout.
    • Nyjer is a small single seed that goldfinches eat.  It won’t sprout.

Buy a Colorado Bird I.D. book.  Notate on the pages when you see a new bird.

Don’t hang any feeders near your home that would drop seed on the ground.  You don’t want to attract mice.

Attend a free Bird Class at Tagawa Gardens.

Plant an Evergreen Tree so birds have shelter from predators and weather.

Place a Birdbath near a tree, but not under a tree.  Rinse weekly, clean monthly.

Clean bird feeders each season (wear gloves, 10% bleach 90% water, rinse & dry).

Plant Berry Bushes to attract fruit eating birds.
Avoid Pesticides to attract insect eating birds.

Place a chair or bench in an area where you can sit & enjoy the birds.

CHOOSING A BIRD FEEDER

Recommendations for beginners and those trying to attract a variety of birds.

1st Feeder - tube style with medium size holes

  • use Sunflower to attract small songbirds (no squirrels or jays)

 

2nd Feeder - tube style with small size holes or mesh openings

  • use Nyjer seed to attract goldfinches (no squirrels or jays)
  • goldfinches are yellow in summer, brown in winter

3rd Feeder - suet - holds suet cakes & are clean feeders

  • very important to winter birds
  • hot pepper suet is not eaten by squirrels
  • attracts woodpeckers, nuthatches & chickadees

 

4th Feeder  - platform  

  • Platform feeders are  very clean-all birds (& squirrels) can eat from this feeder
  • put out small amount of mixed seed each morning to get large group of birds eating in sequence

 Don’t forget you need a way to hang your feeders.  We have Shepherd Hooks (free standing),“S” hooks to hang from branches, Brackets to hang from fences and mounts that attach to deck railings.