Cole?s Wild Bird Products
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I grew up in the middle of the woods in Charlottesville, Virginia. And my childhood is filled with the sounds of chirping birds. My dad loves nothing more than to fill his homemade bird feeders and watch birds munch away. And he's not the only one. More than 65 million Americans are doing it, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. And why not? Birds make your home seem like a natural sanctuary even if you don't live in the middle of the woods.
Winter is the season of bird feeding for obvious reasons: it's harder for them to find their own food. It's best to feed birds in a bird feeder so that the food does not get contaminated with the mold, bacteria, pesticides, and herbicides that can be found on the wet winter ground.
You can purchase a recycled plastic bird feeder, or you could make your own to save some cash and reduce your consumption. How about a pinecone feeder or this used plastic bottle bird feeder?
And don't forget that water is equally important. Josh wrote that a heated birdbath can provide the birds with a dependable water source in the winter. If you don't want to use electricity, just ensure that the bird's water source does not freeze by changing it more often.
Choose the Right Food For Every Bird
1. Learn Seed Preferences
Life becomes difficult for birds in the winter when calorie requirements increase and food availability decreases. So choose bird feed that's high in fat. Sunflower seeds are a great choice in terms of providing ample fat content and nutrients for the birdies. Certain birds prefer certain seed and this guide can show you each species' preferences.
2. Buy Suet For Insect Eating Birds
Suet is great for insect eating birds. It's beef kidney fat that you can buy from meat counters. It also comes in a cake form, which is made with additional seeds and berries, that you can purchase at most pet food stores. Cole's Wild Bird Products offers a good selection of suet cakes formulated to attract the largest variety and number of wild birds.
3. Make Nectar For Hummingbirds
Most hummingbirds migrate in the winter to warmer areas, such as the southern United States, Mexico, Panama, and the Yucatan Peninsula. According to Project Feeder Watch at Cornel University, a scrumptious nectar for hummingbirds can be made simply by adding one part sugar to four parts boiling water and stirring. Diluting the mixture is great for orioles (one part sugar to six parts water). Make sure that the mixture cools before serving.
More on Birds:
How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
An Ocean of Plastic...In Birds' Guts (Slideshow)
9 Human Activities That Threaten Birds and Why We Need to Effect Change Now
