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Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v08n03)
Right in my Own Backyard - Celebrate National Bird-Feeding Month - by Brandt Carter
posted: Feb. 04, 2011

Right in my Own Backyard header

Celebrate National Bird-Feeding Month
February has been designated as National Bird-Feeding Month, inviting all of us to participate. This nationwide initiative was established by the National Bird-Feeding Society in 1994, recognizing that this time of year is particularly challenging for feathered friends. They need us to provide feed, water, and shelter to survive in the harsh weather. In return they provide us with the pleasure of watching their activity.

Right in my Own Backyard - Celebrate National Bird-Feeding Month - by Brandt Carter

One-third of the U.S. population feed wild birds. There's plenty of possibility for joining in. Bird-feeding is a wonderful family activity. Engaging youngsters teaches respect and responsibility for nature. Bird-feeding can be educational, entertaining, and relatively inexpensive. It's also a great way to relax and find relief from the hurried and harried pace of life.
The National Bird-Feeding Society has 10 recommendations for us:
1. Bird feeding is for people who love watching birds - Always place your bird feeders in places where you can readily and frequently see the birds you are feeding.
2. Start with the basics - Black-oil sunflower in a tubular feeder is a very effective combination for attracting a large number of birds to your yard.
3. Attract more species by adding additional types of feeders and seed - Try Nyjer in a tube feeder, and mixtures of black-oil sunflower, hulled sunflower, and whole peanuts in hopper and platform feeders.
4. Don't forget about alternative foods and water -Suet, fruits, mealworms, nectar and water may attract species of birds not found at traditional offerings.
5. The bird species in your yard change with season of the year - The birds visiting your feeders in summer may be very different than those in winter. Provide the feeders and food best suited to your seasonal suite of birds.
6. Make your yard bird-friendly - Provide birds with habitat, food, water, and nest boxes so birds will use your yard year-round. Bird feeders near larger trees and shrubs often have more bird visits.
7. Keep the birds safe - Reduce window collisions, keep birds safe from outdoor cats, and clean your feeders. Move feeders to within 3 feet of windows, remove hiding places of cats, and keep feeders free of debris and filled only with seeds birds will eat.
8. Use binoculars and a backyard bird guide to learn more about your birds - Learning more about birds by using the tools of the birdwatcher provides you with a greater appreciation for your feathered friends.
9. Take your hobby to the next level - Explore your local, state, and national parks and refuges. You will see bird species you can't see in your yard.
10. Enjoy feeding the birds! - Contact the NBFS anytime you have questions about bird feeding or for assistance in enhancing your bird

Here's a list of birds you might be watching for in your backyard. I like to circle the ones I see during February. At the end of the month, it's interesting to count how many have come to my feeders. How about joining me in this worthwhile winter venture?
• Eastern Bluebird
• Indigo Bunting
• Northern Cardinal
• Carolina Chickadee
• Black-Capped Chickadee
• Brown-Headed Cowbird
• American Crow
• Mourning Dove
• House Finch
• Purple Finch
• Northern Flicker
• American Goldfinch
• Common Grackle
• Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
• Cooper's Hawk
• Sharp-Shinned Hawk
• Blue Jay
• Dark-Eyed Junco
• Northern Mockingbird
• Red-Breasted Nuthatch
• White-Breasted Nuthatch
• Baltimore Oriole
• Barred Owl
• Eastern Screech Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Eastern Phoebe
• American Robin
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
• Pine Siskin
• American Tree Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow
• House Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• White-Crowned Sparrow
• White-Throated Sparrow
• European Starling
• Brown Thrasher
• Tufted Titmouse
• Eastern Towhee
• Cedar Waxwing
• Downey Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-Bellied Woodpecker
• Red-Headed Woodpecker
• Carolina Wren
• House Wren
• Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
• Summer Tanager



Brandt Carter, artist, herbalist, and naturalist, owns Backyard Birds at 2374 E. 54th Street. Visit her web site www.feedbackyardbirds.com. Email your bird questions to Brandt@BroadRippleGazette.com




brandt@broadripplegazette.com
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