Lexington, KY (PRWEB) July 19, 2007 -- "When it comes to setting up a backyard bird watching station, the options can leave the beginner confused," says Bob Kegebein, creator of a new backyard bird watching web site called http://www.bird-feeder-and-bird-house-guide.com
Because there are so many options available, it's hard to know where to start. But follow these 9 steps and you'll be well on the way to a busy backyard bird watching station.
First, the essentials:
?The hopper feeder is the workhorse of backyard bird watching. It's the single most important component of a station and will attract tons of birds. Take a look at this list: cardinal, blue jay, grosbeak, tanager, woodpecker. Fill the hopper with any seed except white millet and thistle.
?Supplement your hopper feeder with a sunflower seed tube feeder. Small birds will often shy away from hoppers, but readily feed from a tube. Contrastingly, larger birds struggle with the tube feeder's small perches, thus leaving the smaller titmice, finches and sparrows to dine in peace. As with the hopper, the only seed you won't use in a tube is white millet and thistle.
?Essential to any bird feeding station is the thistle feeder. This small port tube feeder will attract the American goldfinch, house finch, sparrow, redpoll and other small birds. Of course, you'll fill the thistle tube feeder with thistle.
?The suet feeder is a superb way to attract woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees.
?Often overlooked, water is a must for any backyard bird feeding station. There's no sight quite like a bathing songbird.
?Provide shelter to your feathered friends and you'll attract more birds. Competition for natural cavities is intense as humans continue to scar the landscape. Put up a bird house or two -- you can attract wrens, screech owls, wood ducks, chickadees and many other birds with a nest box.
Supplement a station with some or all of these additional components:
?You'd be amazed at what may appear when you offer fruit. Offer apples, oranges, grapes or raisins and you may be visited by cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, catbirds, Baltimore orioles, red-bellied woodpeckers, tanagers or any number of other birds.
?Nothing is more attractive to insect-eating birds than the mealworm. Tons of birds will eat mealworms, including blue birds, woodpeckers, cardinals, blue jays, robins, thrashers and thrushes.
?Offer peanuts, both shelled and in-the-shell. Nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers, blue jays and others will love you for this.
Attracting wildlife to the backyard is a great way to decompress. So set up a bird feeding station, sit back with the family, relax and watch the wild birds.
Robert Kegebein is the creator of the Web site http://www.bird-feeder-and-bird-house-guide.com His web site offers tons of information about backyard bird watching, bird feeders and bird houses. Visitors will also find information about specific wild birds and how to attract them to the yard.
###
Birds Need Energy-Packed Foods to Survive the Winter
Help songbirds endure long, cold winters by providing nutritious foods rich in life-saving oils and fats.
Birds of a Feather May Be Turkeys
Birds of a Feather May Be TurkeysBy Gene Griessman, PhD
Birds of a feather do flock together. It's true.
Treat The Birds To A Bird Bath!
All birds love to have a bath every now and again. Don?t get me wrong, they do not like to be placed in water and washed all over. They prefer to give themselves a bath! Whilst our pets don?t necessarily need one, wild birds absolutely love them, and you can buy one and place it in your garden without any hassle. In fact, some bird baths look really nice in a garden, and they can make really good outdoor ornaments.
Gardening For Birds
What a cruel trick the weather is playing on us.WE HAVE SNOW ! ! !A bit depressing for us outdoor types.
WhirlyBird Repeller-- A New, Simple, Safe and Effective Solution to Repelling Nuisance Birds
The US Coast Guard, US Power Squadron, and Irvin House Vineyards all say the WhirlyBird Repeller really works. The amazing device repels nuisance birds from boats, docks, navigational aids, communication towers, vineyards and other areas where bird droppings are a problem. It is tough enough to withstand hurricane-force winds and is simple, effective and does no harm to birds.
Choosing A Hat For Birdwatching
If you want your kids to be a part of the process it is very easy to make your birdhouse very simple. It is quite possible to use four or five pieces of wood and construct one with very little in the way of tools. Then there is the posture of a bird. Believe it or not, birds perch differently. For example, a Flycatcher perches vertically (straight up and down) when on a branch while a Vireo perches horizontally (almost lying down) when on the same branch.
Migration - How do those birds do it?
Bird migration is a fascinating phenomenon that has intrigued humans for centuries. The picture is now becoming clearer on how these creatures get from colder climates to more temperate climates every year. According to an article by Charles Walcott, Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, and former director, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, it is through a combination of: 1) sighting features like rivers, coastlines, and mountain ranges; 2) monitoring the Earth's magnetic field (apparently using not only their visual system but also tiny grains of a mineral called magnetite in their heads); 3) they observe the stars and use the sun for guidance; 4) smell; and 5) probably by simply following their neighbors as large f...
Galapagos Cruises and the Birds of the Galapagos Islands
Near the coast of Ecuador, about 1000 km away, are the Galapagos Islands. They are a group of remote and pure spots that are perfect for nature lovers. It isn?t just for the beautiful views and naturist surroundings, many Galapagos island tours can highlight these views. This is a great place to see the most fascinating group of wildlife by way of Galapagos travel. Many say that the animals are as free as the people to explore and interact with nature. The many freedoms that the animals have are also somewhat limited because many on the island are endangered. The general public can explore by way of Galapagos island trips, but they also are required to respect the boundaries and legal restraints that are required to keep the islands p...
Feed the Birds
Elaborate and decorative or simple and functional, birdhouses and birdfeeders are lovingly coveted by many people (and birds)!The collector seeking a new piece for the den or study need only consider personal taste and aesthetics- many who enjoy the careful art and craftsmanship of a beautiful birdhouse or feeder would never think of placing their precious gift outside in the rain and other elements.The serious or novice birder, on the other hand, has just a bit more to consider.
Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics of the Human Body, Birds, and Boeing
The aerodynamics of the human body are very interesting indeed. This may sound somewhat funny, because human beings can't fly, however our desire to fly has enabled us to adapt and innovate to achieve the same purpose.
Wimpy Google and Michael Jackson: Birds Of A Feather
Google Inc. is suing a Houston-based company for allegedly clicking on sponsored links to fraudulently boost advertising revenues.
Revolutionary Speech Training Method Can Speed the Way Birds Learn To Talk
On March 20th, Chet Womach, an expert in training parrots, announced a breakthrough speech training method for teaching parrots to speak. This method has been documented to give results within as little as three days.
Texas Coast Wind Generation Sites Pose Severe Threat to Migratory and Resident Birds
The Coastal Habitat Alliance, Inc. (CHA) today released the results of a scientific review of two proposed wind energy generation projects for Kenedy County, Texas. According to the results of the analysis that was conducted by EDM International, Inc. using methodologies developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, these projects pose a severe threat to migratory and resident birds and bats.
Bird Cages Aren't Just For The Birds
Everyone knows that bird cages are built for birds ? big or small, loud or quiet, with or without any vocabulary range, birds live in cages and call them home. That is purely what they are designed to do, right? Well, not exactly. Chances are that you?ve got someone in your family who decorates with them. Bird cages hanging from the ceiling, sitting on top of the TV and perched at the back of the toilet; they are well and truly a decorating scheme.
New Online Parrot Training Course Helps Save Birds
Bird owners can now learn parrot training techniques that work. These proven methods are effective and work on most types of birds, allowing many owners to keep their unruly pets rather than giving them away.