Thanks for all of the responses to my random question on Monday.
It seems to me that most people who offer bird food, other than the farmer whose spilled grain or corn is just incidental, do it because they enjoy seeing birds around. I'll offer a few points:
- I do bird seed in wintertime, maybe until mid-April. I do it to see what birds are around.
- Bears tend to sleep in winter, but if you have awake bears around, don't feed birds. You will just attract bears to your house. In bear country, many towns ban bird-feeding. Feeders attract mice and rats too so my preference is to have it all gone by afternoon.
- In suburban areas, House Sparrows and Starlings (both imports from England) can wipe out your feed. Difficult to control, even though they should find enough in mall parking areas. Here's Keeping House Sparrows away from feeders
- Winter birds do not need the stuff you offer them, but they can grow dependent on the hand-outs thus making them vulnerable when it's not given.
- The food you offer will determine what species you will attract. Woodpeckers and Carolina Wrens like suet. Annoying birds do not like safflower seed. Generic supermarket and Home Depot blends are not great. Niger seed gets Goldfinches and other finches but is expensive. The blends with peanut scraps and dried berries are cool. Chewy has good choices.
- I do not have hummingbird feeders in summer because they are supposed to be cleaned out so often, and our Ruby Throateds like our gardens anyway.
- In my part of New England, what feathered critters hang out? Flocks of Juncos, Mourning Dove, Song Sparrow, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Red Bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, White Throated Sparrow, Chickadees, Titmice - not much exciting. Plus House Sparrows by the dozens, alas. By March migration though, it gets interesting. For excitement, an occasional Sharpshinned or Cooper's Hawk.
