There are several factors that you should think about before putting up bird feeders in your backyard. For anyone who is planning to have bird feeders at home, it is important that factors like maintenance, type of feed, species of bird, type of feeder, and feeder position are all taken into consideration. When it comes to bird feeders, you really have to take all of these factors into consideration. A bird feeder is intended to be used to feed birds of all sorts and this means that you should ensure the safety of these birds when they are feeding in the feeders, see to it that they are as far away as possible from the reach of wild creatures that may find them tasty. Squirrel proof bird feeders are commercially available and you can choose among a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
When you have chosen a specific kind of feeder, you should decide on which kind of feed to buy next. There are backyard bird feeders that can hold different types of nuts, seeds and liquid-based food such as nectars. In case of doubt, contact the retail store where you bought your feeders.
In case that your squirrel proof bird feeder is similar to Figure 1, you will not go wrong by refilling it with black oil sunflower seed. You can also load up cracked corn and peanuts into your squirrel proof bird feeders.
Of course, your backyard bird feeders need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. If you fail to clean your bird feeders regularly, you will end up with dirt and grime. There will be some kind of debris that will form on your bird feeders and you can use scrub brushes and bottle brushes to sweep them away. There are a variety of ways by which you can attract birds to your bird feeders. When it comes to this, you need not wait for the birds to come, you can attract them by using shiny objects like coins and having a water fountain near the feeder will also be able to help you attract these birds. You can photograph them to get a closer look instead of approaching the birds in the feeder. Here is where you should be careful so as not to scare the birds because the feeders are there to give them a safe and secure environment. You might be wondering why this is necessary for people with backyard bird feeders and the answer is that by knowing the kinds of birds that frequently visit your feeders, you will be able to determine what kind of feed will suit these birds best. You need a bunch of sunflower seeds if you are dealing with cardinals but if you have doves, cracked corns would be better. When it comes to birds, you should also consider their migration pattern because they might only be in town for some time.
If you constantly provide birds with food through your bird feeders, they will surely be returning to your home. In this case, you want the birds to have enough room to eat and be comfortable so try to set up more than one feeder. This way, you can have ample opportunity to have a look at them and learn from their eating behavior. Lastly, your backyard bird feeders need to be placed in a safe environment which means that the birds are away from likely predators such as cats and other mammals. In essence, do not put feeders near kids’ playground because their noise and too much movement are most likely to shoo away hungry birds. Aside from having the satisfaction of being able to feed the birds, you will also be able to see a lot of birds flocking towards your bird feeders.
