Birds bring enjoyment all year long, but
wintertime can be a very difficult time
for birds to find food. Home-owners,
gardeners, and bird-lovers can make life
a little easier for our
avian friends in the
winter by providing for some of their basic
needs,
including food, water, and shelter.
Anyone who enjoys bird-watching knows
a feeder will attract birds to your garden
right away.
Tips:
Once you begin providing food for the birds, try to continue throughout the cold season.
Don't feed birds spoiled leftovers from your kitchen table, salty snack foods
such as potato chips, or sugary dry cereals. And definitely don't give
them anything containing chocolate.
Unless your feeder is of the mixed seed variety, try keeping different types
of seed in separate feeders. Birds dining at feeders with mixed seeds simply
throw out the seeds they don't want while selecting their favorites. This
leads to a lot of wasted bird seed.
Place your feeders where you can see them, but make sure the birds will have a quick get-away in case a predator such as a cat arrives on the
scene.
Try varying the locations of your feeders and spread them out so that more birds can use them.
Never supply plain peanut butter for the birds to eat as they can choke on it. Always mix
peanut butter with bird seed.
Keep your feeders clean and tidy. Wash them at least once a year with a
mixture of 10%bleach and 90% water. Use protective gloves and a mask.
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