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Research birds in your area. Choose a bird feeder. Provide seed and other food. Know what foods to avoid. Install the feeder in a safe location. Maintain the feeder. Provide grit.
Find out what types of birds live in your area or are likely to come to your property through migration. You may want to obtain a field guide to the area in order to know which birds to attract. Aim to create an environment that can support many different species. Bear in mind that you can attract different species depending on the season, as well. The type of feeder you choose will influence what bird species you attract. No matter what, your bird feeder should have a few essential qualities: it should be difficult for squirrels to access, it should keep food dry, and it should be easy to clean. Bird feeders need to be washed out regularly so the food inside remains free of fungi and disease. The most common types of feeders include: Tray feeders. Tray feeders are simple, flat trays that allow birds very easy access to seed. The downside is that seed is also accessible to squirrels and unprotected from the weather. House feeders. These keep the seed in a contained area and dispense it as the birds feed on a small tray at the bottom of the feeder. Window feeders. Window feeders attach to your window with suction cups, offering a full view of bird activity. They will attract birds like chickadees, finches, and some kinds of sparrows. Suet feeders. Suet feeders are designed to offer suet cakes, which attract different birds like woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. Tube feeders. To attract hummingbirds, use a tube feeder. These dispense sugar water through a tube. Birds will be attracted to your yard if you offer them food. However, there are certain things to keep in mind. Do you know what species you are hoping to attract? If you would like to invite a wide range of native species, it's a good idea to have more than one type of feeder and to offer a variety of food. You will inevitably bring less desirable birds common sparrow, pigeon, or crow but with good seed choice you can maximize your target birds. Corn is a favorite among nearly all birds but is to be used sparingly -- it will attract all sorts of animals. It is also important to be careful about the source of the corn since cheap corn can be contaminated with pesticides that are toxic to birds. Sunflower seeds are popular among all seed-eating birds, which makes them a good choice if you want a variety of species. However, the shells must be raked up frequently. Sunflower seeds will also tempt squirrels. White proso millet is a tasty treat for cardinals, quail, sparrows, doves, and crows. It is also attractive to house sparrows and other animals. Hummingbirds love to drink sugar water, meanwhile, and safflower seeds are good for attracting cardinals, chickadees, doves, sparrows, and grosbeaks. Suet, the fat around cow and sheep organs, attracts woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens, jays, and starlings. Peanut butter makes a good winter food since it is highly nutritious. Just make sure that it doesn't contain additives. Birds can easily be poisoned by food that is contaminated or contains hard-to-digest ingredients. Be sure to buy high-quality seed or suet. Some cheap manufacturers of bird food cut corners, so consider springing for a more expensive brand. Here are a few foods to avoid putting out: Bread, crackers, or other processed carbohydrates do not offer birds much nutritional value and can have toxic ingredients. Bacon drippings or other meats can meanwhile contain harmful nitrates. Both may end up attracting mice and rats instead. Cheap feeds often contain "filler seeds" that are not eaten like red millet, golden millet, oats, and flax. Be sure to check the ingredients in the purchased feed. If you want the feeder to be near enough for you to view it from your house, place it within three feet of your window. Placing it further away is dangerous for birds since they are more likely to collide with a window (a situation that kills millions of birds every year). The feeder should also be far enough away from tree cover to prevent squirrels from reaching the feeder from a tree. It is important to change the food frequently and clean the feeder with soap and water every few weeks. Otherwise, bird droppings, fungus, and bacteria can contaminate the feeder and the food, potentially sickening birds. Be particularly vigilant during wet weather, when damp food is more susceptible to mold. For the same reason, and because it attracts undesirable animals, food that has fallen to the ground should be cleared away. Birds lack teeth and many instead rely on an organ called a gizzard to digest food. To work properly the gizzard needs grit bits of sand, gravel, or other small stones. You can help by offering insoluble grit (e.g. small pieces of gravel) or soluble grit (like cuttlebone, crushed oyster shell, or crushed eggshell). Eggshell serves a dual purpose by giving the birds calcium needed for egg-laying.