Bird Food

Bon appetit!

Yum, yum - one of the biggest attractants to a backyard bird oasis is definitely the food. Variety is the spice of life, for birds as well as people. They have a varied diet that includes seed, insects and berries, but they certainly won't say no to a free smorgasbord on your bird table. Feeding birds is one of the best ways to help them out during the cold winter season, when food sources are scarce and weather is rough.

Like people, birds have likes and dislikes, and what makes one bird's stomach growl might turn off another bird. It's always a good idea to think about what kinds of birds you want in your yard and what kinds you want to stay away, and then research what exactly these birds eat so that you can invite them all to dinner at your house. You can also attract or deter birds by putting out different bird feeders.

Birdseed is the universal bird food - nearly all birds eat seed and you will get great results if you offer a variety of seed in your feeders. Whether it's black oil sunflower seed, Nyjer or millet, you will definitely see many different birds at your feeders and even a squirrel or two. There are many different seed feeders, including tube feeders, platform feeders and hopper feeders that will allow you to offer seed to ground-feeding and perching birds of all sizes.

Birds, especially little birds, need protein and fat to keep their energy up. Suet, made from beef fat, is the perfect way to help them keep their strength up during those cold winter days. You can buy suet or make it yourself. Birds love when you mix some of their favorite foods in it, like berries, peanut butter or cereal. You can buy special suet feeders that will hold the suet together while birds munch; but make sure that if you feed in the summer, you check the suet frequently to make sure it hasn't gone rancid.

Some birds don't eat seed or suet, like hummingbirds and orioles. You can attract these birds by offering sweet nectar for them to drink. You can buy a special nectar mix, or you can make it yourself by combining one part table sugar to five parts water. Store the unused mixture in the fridge and watch the birds flock to your feeders. Just make sure that you don't leave the mixture more than a few days, especially if it's hot outside - the nectar will ferment.

Although it's tempting to feed birds many different baked goods and scraps from the table, this can be dangerous and can make them sick. Bird food to avoid includes anything that's moldy or rotten, and always keep an eye on them as they feed. On the other hand, there are many bird treats that your feathered friends will love. It really just depends on the birds that come to your feeder.