Number One Christmas Present Idea This Holiday Season: Bird Feeders

Bird feeders are the number one Christmas present idea.  There are a ton of different types of bird feeders to choose from.  There are tube bird feeders, squirrel proof bird feeders, cage bird feeders, suet bird feeders, platform bird feeders, hopper bird feeders, hummingbird feeders and more.   When choosing a bird feeder for somebody as a gift, there are some things to consider first.  Where do they live?  Do they have any bird feeders already?  What types of birds are most popular in their area?  Do they need squirrel proof bird feeders?  What is the ease of care and maintenance of the bird feeders?  All these considerations will help you determine what bird feeder will suit your friend and wild birds the best.  Bird feeders bring so much joy into the world of any backyard enthusiast.

Bird Feeders – Hummingbird, Platform and Tube Feeders

If you are new to the bird feeding community you will benefit from this information.   There are lots of different types of bird feeders to choose from and three among the most popular include: hummingbird feeders, platform feeders, and tube bird feeders. Learn of the differences between all three bird feeders, the bird food to use for each, and the birds they can attract.

Hummingbird Feeders 

Hummingbird feeders are nectar feeders and come in several different shapes and sizes. These bird feeders are enclosed, typically made of glass or plastic, and often have 3 to 5 feeding ports. These ports are often surrounded with red plastic flowers and bee guards. The nectar solution can be made at home, using a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part white cane sugar. Simply boil the water or just use hot water from the faucet, stir in the sugar while hot and making sure it is dissolved, then allow it to cool before filling the feeder. The hummingbird feeder should be washed at least once a week and any remaining nectar discarded. This will prevent your nectar solution from fermenting and keep your hummingbirds returning.

Platform Bird Feeders

Platform bird feeders, also called tray feeders and tabletop feeders, consist of an open tray upon which the seed is placed. These bird feeders offer little protection against squirrels or the weather but can come with a top to protect the seed from some elements. Some tube bird feeders are equipped to attach a tray feeder to them.  You can attach platform bird feeders to some hook stands and hang from poles away from trees and telephone lines (in a better attempt to keep squirrels out).  A good quality mix for platform bird feeders is shelled peanuts and lots of black oil sunflower seed. Kitchen scraps such as breads, donuts, crackers or dried fruit work well with platform feeders too.  Some birds that are attracted to platform bird feeders include cardinals, chichadees, jays, nuthatches, buntings, titmouse, redpolls, finches, pine siskin, woodpeckers, starlings, blackbirds and most seed eating birds.

Tube Bird Feeders

Tube bird feeders are constructed with a hollow cylinder which is often made out of some type of plastic.  These bird feeders come with multiple feeding ports and perches.  Keep in mind that tube bird feeders with short perches can be selective to smaller birds. For example, a tube feeder with small perches can accommodate chickadees, but exclude large birds such as jays.  Tube bird feeders generally keep the seed fairly dry.  It is best to have one type of wild bird seed and avoid mixed seed. The types of wild birds feeding at this type of bird feeder, will as usual, only eat their favorite seed. The seed which is left will clog the feeding ports leaving their favorite seed out of reach.  The types of birds attracted to tube feeders include chickadees, house finch, American goldfinch, nuthatch, titmice, pine siskin, purple finch, lesser goldfinch, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, and the cardinal.

Invest in a hummingbird feeder, platform bird feeder or tube bird feeder today and start enjoying the wild life entertainment they will bring to your backyard.  These three bird feeders are just a few of the most popular types of bird feeders.  Make sure to keep any and all bird feeders clean and well maintained for returning birds.

Grandma's Tip of The Day

If you are using Oriole Bird Feeders or Hummingbird Feeders and are having problems with bees and ants getting into the feeders, try Grandma's little trick that works well.  Whether it be oriole bird feeders or hummingbird feeders, either one you can use this tip for.  Place or hang a plastic water or pop bottle (no cap on it) around the hummingbird feeders and oriole bird feeders filled with a little bit of the nectar.  This will reduce the amount of bees and bugs from getting into the oriole bird feeders and hummingbird feeders.  The bugs will more often than not opt for the more accessible source of nectar verses the hummingbird feeders and oriole bird feeders.  Hope this helps you out!

A great way to get your kids involved

Looking for some fun outdoor activities to participate in with your kids?  They love new things, bright colors, adventure and most of all spending time with you while doing it.  Consider organic gardening and simple lawn decor.  I found some wonderful ideas in an article written by Stacy Pessoney, Gardening With Kids that mentions using wind spinners, hummingbird feeders and wind chimes along with some wonderful organic gardening activities for the kids to get involved in.  Wind spinners can be a fun addition to any garden for kids.  They are colorful, twirl in the wind and there are so many different kinds to get.  Hummingbird feeders are a lot of fun for kids to get involved with.  They can help you make the nectar, pour the nectar in the bird feeder, help you clean the bird feeder and the best part is to wait and watch them come in.  Kids get a kick out of hummingbirds because they are so fast in motion and can be very territorial, so to watch them chasing each other around the bird feeder is very entertaining.  Along with wind spinners, there are so many different kinds, shapes, colors and sizes of wind chimes to choose from.  Kids will love helping you choose wind chimes and placing them in different areas of your garden.  Wind chimes can provide a very musical outdoor environment for everybody.  Make sure to check out some of the other organic gardening activities Stacy Pessoney has mentioned in her article, Gardening With Kids, and get busy with your kids in the garden.  They will thank you and appreciate it!

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Hummingbirds are a very unique and delightful bird to have in your garden.  They can be found all over America.  Hummingbirds are a great addition to any lawn and garden space and can be quite entertaining for most people. That’s why I would like to share with you how you can attract more of this intriguing specie of bird to your garden.

Some of the greatest features of a hummingbird are not known to many people.  They can flap their wings up to amazing speeds as fast as 80 times per second.   Because of this, hummingbirds have a very fast metabolism, in fact the fastest of all birds.  In order to sustain their high metabolism, they need to feed off hundreds of flowers a day.  This allows them to consume food and nutrients in excess of their own body weight.  The smallest bird in the world is the Bee Hummingbird at 2” long and weighing in at 1.8 grams.  The largest hummingbird in the world is the Giant Hummingbird weighing in at about 24 grams and 8” long.  Hummingbirds are able to decrease their metabolism just by sitting unlike other high metabolism animals.  This allows them to lengthen their lifespan up to 17 years of life.  Can you imagine a bird that is 17 years old?  That’s amazing! 

First of all, hummingbirds are attracted to bright colors and a variety of them.  They have a poor sense of smell, but love colors.  There are some plants you may want to consider planting in your garden that will provide just this.  For annuals, try the salvia, petunia, impatiens, firespike and jewelweed.  Some perennials to consider using are bee balm, costa, yucca, canna, lupine, cardinal flower and faxglove.  Use a variety of garden planters to incorporate all the different flowers and plants in various areas of your garden.  The trees and shrubs that work best include the azalea, buddleia, cape honeysuckle, mimosa, weigela, flame acanthus, lantana, red buckeye and tree tobacco.  Hummingbirds also eat bugs and insects so avoid using any pesticides.  It is also a good idea to incorporate places to rest for your hummingbirds as they do so 80% of their time.  Examples would be clothes lines, tree branches, bird houses, fences, garden statues, etc.  Female hummingbirds are always looking for nesting materials.  They usually like soft materials from willow or eucalyptus trees or mosses, lichens, and ferns.  In terms of hummingbird feeders and their locality in your garden there is a lot to consider.  Because hummingbirds prefer bright colors, try using an assortment of different brightly colored feeders and/or you can decorate around them using streamers or wind spinners.  You’ll want to position the bird feeders at various heights in your garden.  Hummingbirds can be very territorial, which is quite amusing to watch.  Another thing that hummingbirds enjoy is a cool mist, usually from wet tree leaves, but you can incorporate this using a mister in your garden.

What else attracts hummingbirds that is sweet and tasty?  Nectar can be store bought or home-made.  Just mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts boiled water.  Mix well and let cool before putting into bird feeder.  It is a good idea not to use synthetic sugars or food coloring.  Also, do not substitute sugar with honey as it can ferment and produce fungus that is harmful to the bird.  Keep the feeder out of the sun if possible and make sure to change the nectar about 2-3 times a week.  Clean your bird feeder once a week using 1 cup vinegar to 4 cups water, then a rinse through with just water. 

Hummingbirds are a wonderful way to decorate your garden and by following these tips you should be off to a great start providing the ideal territory for this specie of bird.  Sit back and enjoy all the entertainment these birds can provide.  They are truly a delight to have in your garden and your family and friends will think so too.