What is your opinion on feeding wild birds in your back yard?

Question

Do you have any favorite kind of birds?

I think the Robin is my favorite, I know it eats mostly worms but... heh

I also like watching Cardinals.

Your comments?

Edrib, that is a very interesting report. I really like reading about Borneo.

Answer 1

Feeding wild birds? I wish I could do more. My neighbors have a feral cat community 3 houses away. The cats are well cared for - they live in a garage, and are fed, watered, neutered and vaccinated. I've never seen them hunt or stalk the birds. Apparently they'd rather eat bird seed. They seem to have a real taste for it. I do hang suet logs, carefully out of reach of the cats.

Having feeders isn't the only way to feed and attract wildlife. Plants are a great way to attract birds and butterflies in summer, and provide food and shelter during the cold winter months.

Who doesn't love robins? Especially us northern folks who know that spring is coming after the arrival of the first robins. They sing the most beautiful songs.

If you want to "feed" the robins, use a garden sprinkler. It draws worms to the surface.

I think margecutter is missing a bird or two. No crows in her yard? Maybe they're all at my house. I agree with another's answer: I love crows. Definitely one of my favorite birds. I also see wild turkeys and bald eagles.

Winter favorites are cardinals and blue jays - sometimes they're the only color in the yard, against the brilliant (or dirty) snow. Both of these beauties live in the yard.

My own cockatiels are equally fascinated. The cardinals and jays often perch in the pine tree right next to the window, only inches away from the tiels - and stare at each other. Except for the color and beak, they look similar. Makes me wonder what they're thinking... The cockatiels are probably thinking "Wow, wouldn't it be cool to be free?" while the wild birds are thinking "Bet it's warm in there. Look at all that food."

Answer 2

The birds here are too afraid for us to be able to feed them, but I think feeding backyard birds would be a wonderful pastime. I love birds, so I would surely enjoy it.

The only problem, especially here in Indonesia, is the concern for avian influenza. Wild birds could bring the virus and have disastrous effects on the birds and people here.

My favourite birds that I can see from my house are the olive-backed sunbirds. The males have beautiful sapphire feathers on its chest, like shining scales. The best thing about my house is that these sunbirds perch right at my window and I can see them from a few inches away!

Answer 3

I am in favor of feeding the wild birds in your backyard. It makes them so much easier to watch. I do a lot of birdwatching, going to National Wildlife Refuges and Wildlife Management Areas, but some of my most enjoyable times are just watching the birds at the feeders in my back yard.

I actually feed year-round, not just in the winter, like many people. I have several different feeders in my yard, and at least 30 species of birds that visit regularly. I have a nyger (thistle) feeder, a sunflower feeder, a hanging feeder for wild bird mix, and several suet feeders. I have a dish feeder on my deck where I feed whole corn, mixed seed, black sunflower seed and peanut parts. I also put mixed seed and whole corn on the ground for ground feeding birds.

In the warmer months, I also have a nectar feeder for the hummingbirds and a jelly feeder for the orioles, but I take them down mid November or earlier, depending on the temperatures. I will also feed various types of fruit and berries throughout the year.

I never feed the birds bread, cake, cookies, crackers or any of the other human snacks that people are so fond of sharing with our feathered friends. A bird's digestive system is not designed to deal with the refined sugars and processed flours found in such treats.

In my back yard, I regularly have the following species (depending on season):
American Goldfinch, House Finch, Purple Finch, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, American Tree Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Thrasher, Brown-headed Cowbird, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle, Common Redpoll, Dark-eyed Junco, Europen Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, Harris's Sparrow, English House Sparrow, Mourning Doves, Northern Flicker, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Tree Swallows, White-throated Sparrows and several Cooper's Hawks that are attracted by all the song birds. I also have an occasional visit from Red-breasted Nuthatches, Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Pileated Woodpeckers. For about 5 weeks this fall, I had an albino American Goldfinch that was hanging with a flock of English House Sparrows, but he disappeared before the first snow.

I'm not sure if I really have a favorite bird to watch - it's too hard to pick just one!

Answer 4

Sorry but that's the way nature goes: If you're too old, too young, or too sick, you get picked off. Oh and the guy above me is dead wrong! Cats have always been a part of nature: They came from a wild ancestor, Felis sylvestris Libyca. I have two cats of my own and I let them roam free. I can say with 100% certainty that they have never brought home dead birds. Oh, and murder is done with premeditation and malice. Animals hunt to survive.

Answer 5

I like my rock doves. I have them come to the patio all the time. There are two of them and they are so cute. I also have a lot of house sparrows. Since I have been feeding them for a long time, I also have some really cute little mice that come up in the middle of the night. I would have to say my rock doves are my favorite though.

Answer 6

There are so many great birds that it is hard to pick out a favorite. I suppose my favorite common bird is the cardinal. I especially like to watch brown pelicans when they are feeding.

Answer 7

I love to birdwatch and feed the birds year-round.
Some of my favorites are Dark-eyed Junco because it was the first bird I identified when I started birdwatching, Belted Kingfisher because it just looks so majestic and powerful, and Black-capped Chickadee because its just so cute.

Answer 8

i`m all for it, i enjoy watching birds and any kind of animal for that matter and i am lucky enough that i live in the country where there are plenty. my favorite bird is an odd one, the crow. i have 4 crows that hang around my yard and i have been trying to tame them. they are very smart for a bird and i enjoy messing around with them.

Answer 9

I love Carolina wrens and cardinals. The wrens always nest in some ridiculous place right in everybody's way, like they actually want us to watch them! And I love seeing the cardinals getting the sunflower seeds to take to their nest and then later bringing their fledglings to the feeder; you can watch the same cardinal family all the way into late fall still hanging out together.

Answer 10

I like watching the chickadees and nuthatches feed from the suet feeder. I really like watching all the hummingbird wars going on near the nectar feeder as well.