by Angelica Weathersby

Created on: April 30, 2008

Wild birds can be the jewels, musicians, and even comedians of your yard. Unlike domestic pets (no, I'm not knocking them, for those who love kitties and dogs) they don't make demands when you aren't yet awake, or need to be walked or have their litter-box emptied. This does not mean there is no responsibility involved in feeding wild birds. However, you don't have to bankrupt yourself to create and maintain an attractive feeding station.

CHOOSING A GOOD LOCATION
If you want to be able to watch and perhaps photograph the birds that come to your feeding station, it should be near a window where you often sit, but not so near that birds will be startled by you or by their own reflection in the glass. A spot about 6 feet out from your window and 2 feet to one side or the other from the nearest edge of the window, gives adequate distance from the house and offset from the reflection. (Scroll to bottom for instructions for a simple and inexpensive post set-up.) Your feeder also should be 10 feet from the nearest tree branch to prevent squirrels from jumping onto it from there.

Although many people place feeders at various locations around the yard, to suit various kinds of birds, I use one location that accommodates several kinds of feeders. This makes it possible for me to keep an eye on things from where I sit and write, and chase off pushy, invasive kinds of birds such as starlings and cowbirds. (Either of these will descend in a sky-darkening flock, eat all the food, and then head for the next feeding station on the block. They also take over the nests of other birds, killing or pushing out the rightful babies.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BIRDSEED
High quality birdseed can seem costly, but buying birdseed on the cheap may end up wasting money. It won't attract the colorful birds or the ones with the prettiest songs, and even for the plainer birds that you want to include, it will not provide balanced, adequate nutrition. The birdseed available in your area probably will be targeted toward the birds common to the region. That is, if you live on the East Coast it's unlikely that your choices will be limited to feed for birds that live only on the West Coast. It's a good idea, however, to find out a little bit about your regional population of feathered friends, and make sure the seed you buy will attract the ones you want.

Other Considerations
*The selection of food, as described on the bag, may be geared to a narrower grouping such as songbirds, finches, Cardinals and Blue-jays,

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