Have Fun with Backyard Birding

Birds are common visitors to back yards and gardens, which makes them very easy to observe from inside the home. Watching wild birds at a feeder while eating breakfast is a simple pleasure enjoyed by millions.

Bird lovers who are unable to go on bird watching trips create their own “reserve” by backyard birding. If you’re fortunate enough to have the space, then setting up your backyard to invite birds is a cinch.

Bird feeding in your backyard is a benefit not only for birds. Another advantage of feeding and watching birds in your backyard is that it allows families to spend time together in a pastime which is fun as well as educational.

Regardless of where you live, you can start birding in your backyard. Just begin by putting a variety of food outside your door. This will attract a variety of birds. Soon you will have more birds than you envisioned.

Read books and watch videos, listen to CDs—any kind of information on birds. This way you’ll be able to find out which birds are in your area and you’ll learn how you can attract them. In addition, after a while you’ll be able to identify them.  Then you can decide which types of birds you’d like to have for your backyard bird watching.

Now it’s time to set up your feeder; the real work begins. (Of course, if you’re a bird lover you’ll consider this a labor of love).  There are many different types of feeders to accommodate specific types of birds and their diets. So do your homework before making your selection.

A word of caution: Windows can be deadly for birds. So for their safety and protection, place the feeder within three feet of the window. Or hang lightweight, shiny mobiles in front of the window.

After deciding on the feeder, you’ll need to figure out what kind of seeds to get. Certain birds like particular kinds of seeds so be selective when choosing seeds.  Most, however, like sunflower seeds. You can get this information by doing your research or you can use trial and error. If you plan to use more than one type of seed to attract a variety of birds, it’s best to use separate feeders. And if you begin to attract too many birds, then dispense less food.

Backyard birding can be fun and entertaining as long as you remember that to keep your guests coming you have to provide  lots of food,  water and shelter.