Does anyone know about Birds?

Question

We live in WV and my kids love feeding the birds in the winter ,we put up bird feeders every year should you leave these up all year and feed them all year or only through the cold months

Answer 1

How wonderful that you are encouraging your children to enjoy birds. If you leave a feeder out all winter, it is alright to put it out in the summer, too. Any migratory birds will fly south when it is time and your children will have an opportunity to see different types of birds in the summer.

Answer 2

You could, but it isn't necessary. If you want them to come around so you can watch them all year round, by all means, feed them all year round. Another attraction would be a bird bath with fresh water all year round. That's "big party time" for wild birds! If you are on a budget, save the money you would normally spend in the summer and use it on feeding in the winter. But putting out the Buffet for them consistently will keep them coming back to your yard. You are establishing a behavior (coming to your yard) that gets reinforced through feeding. ( "R+" or "Positive reinforcement)
By being consistent about it, you establishing a trust with them. And I'm sure they appreciate it very much.
It's something you can do to make their life a little easier and they give back to you by coming around so you can see them. It's a beautiful win-win situation.

Answer 3

I used to live in NJ, now in MN, and I have always fed the birds year-round. In the winter, they need the help when food is scarce. In spring, the migrating birds need to "fill up" after the long trip, and often they arrive before the food supply is really sufficient. During nesting and fledging, they always appreciate the easy pickings. I see the birds use as much suet at this time, feeding their babies, as they eat in the winter. In the fall, the birds that are preparing for their long trip need to fill up again. Then we're back to winter.

Sure, except maybe for the worst months of cold and snow in the winter, wild animals can find plenty of food in nature...but then you wouldn't be able to enjoy them as much, would you? Feeding the birds in the winter is for the sake of the birds. Feeding them year-round is for the sake of enjoyment.

Answer 4

NO, you should not feed during the summer months. Why, because your feeder is known as a breeder of mold fungus and disease pit for birds. Many don't understand that they need to take it down once a week and disinfect it. Mites, germs and all kinds of things lead to the #1 killer of birds during the summer months. Just like school is a carrier of germs for kids, your feeder is the leading cause of disease for birds.

You can't make it easier for birds to find the fats during the summer!! They need to find the insects that are higher in proteins to survive the winters. Not all birds HAVE to fly south. They do so because of short supply of food. If they depend on you for food, and something happens to you, they actually will die, because they depend so much on you for their food supply.

Please clean and disinfect your outside feeders to keep the spread of diseases to a point. Be carefull you don't take mites in your house. Always use rubber gloves when cleaning your outside feeder. Outside feeders are known to carry Psiticosis which is often fatal in humans if not caught in time. Please research what lurks in an outside feeder.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

if you can afford it go for all year round the birds will still benefit and you get to see all of the wonder-full birds what have you got to lose. hope this helps

Answer 6

All year.

Answer 7

depends on where you live fl you can i get acorns and put peanut butter on them and roll them in bird seed or sprinkle them on it and get a piece of fishing line and tie it good around the top of the acorn and hang it in your yard

Answer 8

yeah, they are those little furry things that fly around in the sky