Springtime Bird Feeding

I haven't put up a bird feeder in the last few years, but in years past I always had a few seed feeders out.

I really had to keep on top of them, otherwise they became cat feeders.

I try not to always have food in the feeders, but to keep them full most of the time. My reasoning is that I do not want the birds to become too dependent on them. It also tends to deter the blackbird flocks from taking over.

I don't and never have fed birds or anything else in the wild, not even hummingbird feeders for just the reasons pointed out. I've always thought that it would mess up their natural foraging instincts. I still have lots of birds around though.

One the other hand, I do have some sparrows that are brave enough to steal dry cat food from my cat's bowl on the front porch. I think that's acceptable, because I'm pretty sure they are aware of the peril they are placing themselves in to get a bite of food. They could easily become part of the food chain.

I am sceptical about the findings.

I think that it is more important to put out the CORRECT type of foods and not to put stuff out that might harm say the chicks during breeding times......

I will wait and see what the final results are before possibly taking any further action.....

I usual do my feeding in late winter early spring and again in late fall early winter to catch the migrators. Usually doing that period of time food is in short supply. So I put out food that is high in fat and protein. Once a week I put it out, it lasts until I don't see any more warblers around.

Excellent point!

Yes I agree, GA

Hello.I have fed birds with old bread and scraps for years but lately may mind is seeing a great change in bird behavior in the northeast of the country.For the first time that I can remember they are eating more and more crops .The grape crop were I live was being eaten every day once they were ripe .Just about every bird spieces were gulity of the picking and ruining of the crop.None of the devices to chace them away did anything at all. I belive that there are something happening to their envoiment to make this change.Then it was a really craze weather all over the country this year.Hope things are better in 2012 bill willy

I have a thornless blackberry and grape "cage" of chicken wire to keep birds out. Even so, i have Robins who have found ways in, and I have to catch them and evict them. The reason I built the cage was because I saw sparrows eyeing my blackberries and tried to beat them to it. Not worth the trouble or expense, except in the long run, but I was determined to protect my berries and grapes.

Here the farmers drape nets over the trees and bushes, or they make "avenues" of nets....I would have said that it's "normal business" that the birds go for the fruit.......