KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – BACKYARD BIRDING
Feeding birds in the
backyard is easy and rewarding. We have a great variety of species in the
Chicagoland area. By using certain feed and feeders you can attract the species
you wish.
Ground feeders attract Mourning
Doves who can't perch on a hanging feeder. They like safflower seed
which also is a favorite of our lovely state bird the Cardinal.
A good all purpose wild bird seed will satisfy the general sparrow
population. I usually mix in some thistle seed for the finches
and smaller birds. This seed is a little expensive. Just a handful in a small
bucket of seed is sufficient.
We also feed the squirrels
raw peanuts in the shell so they don't eat ALL the birdseed but they will eat
some. They make supposedly "squirrel proof" feeders but I have yet to see one
that some enterprising squirrel can't figure out. I have a love/hate
relationship with my squirrels. I love them when they look in my kitchen window
looking for peanuts and hate them when they dig up my flower pots burying them.
Blue
Jays love peanuts too. They call me from my backyard birch tree and
pick them up right from my porch.
Having too many birds at one
feeder can be a problem. They fight. They bicker. They mess up the food. If
this is happening, place another feeder nearby, but not too close.
Check your feeders
regularly. If the food is moldy or wet, replace it with fresh food right away.
If rodents or other animals
are an issue where you live, be sure to store your food in heavy-duty containers
and always be sure to sweep up any spills. We can't even leave our organic
fertilizer in the garage any more; the little mice and chipmunks love the
natural ingredients and eat holes in the bag.
One of the most important
things we can do for our backyard friends is providing clean water. This is
especially important in winter. Make sure you change the water at least every
other day. This keeps it fresh and also prevents mosquito breeding. For winter
check out farm supply online. They have small circular heaters
made for outdoor use. They keep the water just above freezing. We just fill a
bucket every day during the winter and rinse/fill. Its a little work but we
have 20-30 mourning doves that over winter with us every year.
Backyard birding is fun and
rewarding. With a little effort you can have fun the year round. The kids love
it too!
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
