It was many years ago that I decided to get serious about bringing birds into my backyard. I lived in an area called Kingwood, part of a dense forest of North Houston. Birds were all over the place, but I hadn’t started feeding them regularly yet. There were no feeders, no water sources. I lived in a massive rest stop but made no amenities.

Giving Them Cover

I already had one main attraction for them, a mimosa tree, some large overgrown Yaupon Holly bushes in a neighbor’s yard and large oak trees and pines. Cover for the birds was the only reason they visited. Things changed when I cut down several trees that weren’t doing well. I suddenly had a small sunny meadow between a fence and our raised deck. Not much to look at but it was a start.

What if You Don’t Live in a Forest? 

I presently live in an area where trees are scarce. I’ve lived where I had no yard, just a patio. The rule remains. Cover for birds can include hanging plants, shrubs, a hedge; a brush pile works, too. I know people up north that build Christmas tree piles to give birds cover during winter. Tall growing container flowers and rose bushes will help, too. All you need is something near the feeder to offer safety.

Giving Them Water

My first water feature was a shallow clay plant pot base about 20 inches round. The birds were happy with it. Later, I bought a two-tier fountain. Moving water is an added plus as the birds will hear your babbling bounty and follow their ears. I gained a sudden bonanza of Sparrows, Cardinals, Blue Jays and Hummingbirds.

Problems with Fountains 

That first fountain didn’t last long. It was made of a rubber like material that collapsed when treated to the blistering heat of a Texas summer. I replaced it within four months with a simple bird bath on a stand. That unfortunately was light and got knocked over often. Finally, I picked up a small three tier fountain on sale. It was sturdier, but still lite enough for me to clean easily. Upkeep takes periodic cleaning and drops of algae inhibitor that is labeled safe for birds. Not all of them are, so be careful.

Birds don’t really care if you have a big fountain. A simple bird bath or a shallow dish set out for them will be welcome. That first low tray holding water was all it took to make a welcome mate. The birds used all my offerings thankfully. Consider your climate to make sure what you get won’t break down like my first fountain. Beyond providing the container, your job is to keep it clean, algae and mold free, and to change the water regularly.

Water in Cold Weather 

Every few years my section of Texas gets hard freezes. My fountain froze over several times. That was worth taking pictures of to see water frozen in mid-splash. Heated bird baths are a solution to the peepers ice skating on their water. I wish I had known about heating inserts before freezing my fountain.

Giving them Food

My next efforts were to hang feeders. I started with hummingbird feeders and store-bought nectar until I could plant hummingbird flowers. The hummers ate it up; but store-bought nectar is a point of contention with many long-time birders. It’s the dye and additives they put into the sugar water that cause the problems. We have discovered that dyes and preservatives are bad for people, and birds. The answer is to simply make your own. Hummingbird nectar is just water and sugar. Yep, that’s it.

• Most recommend a 4 to 1 mixture of sugar water. Four cups of sugar to a gallon of water.

For best results, heat your water first so the sugar dissolves thoroughly. Then fill the feeders about half full when cool and store the rest in the refrigerator. Take down the feeders about once a week to clean and refill. In hot summer months, do it every 2 or 3 days.

Feeders for Other Birds 

I have tried several feeders for birds. I first bought a cheap grocery store gravity feeder. It worked just fine. The small birds loved it, but bigger birds couldn’t fit on the narrow ledge. Then I was given a very pretty feeder with a wider ledge. That was great, but you would never imagine the seed waste that came with it. And then the sprouts came up. I scooped up nearly a gallon of seed lying on the ground the day I decided there had to be better feeders.

Help for Tube Feeders 

A trip to a local nature center gave me the answer to the tube feeder waste problem. Install a seed catcher under it. You can make your own or purchase a hoop seed catcher.

• The catcher is basically a large embroidery hoop with mesh cloth turned upside down with string holding it to a hook. In the above picture, you see I moved a birdbath into that spot to make do. The little bird’s messes were contained, and the big birds were happy to take care of the overflow.

Banquet Tables 

Checking out types of feeders, I decided to try a platform feeder made from a 1x4 plank that used to be a bookshelf and hung it between two Shepard’s hooks. This allows for larger birds like Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Blue Jays. My husband made me a better one for Mother’s Day with a screen wire bottom to let out moisture and high sides for perching that would also hold seed in the feeder.

The problem with the platform feeder was that the Shepard’s hooks were too short. When I tried baffles, the squirrels just did a standing long jump to the board. I considered devising a taller feeder with a pulley to move the platform up and down like a draw bridge. It could be set 10 to 15 feet off the ground using PVC poles. I ran the plans by my husband and, well; it was vetoed. I then moved the feeder so it would be in the middle of the yard, far from anything they could jump from.

Their answer: The squirrels gnawed a branch on the mimosa tree, dropping it right on top of the feeder, creating a bridge. Yeah, I was dealing with talented engineers. After that, we came to a détente. The squirrels were cute, so were allowed to eat, but when more than four showed up, the platform came down for a while.

When the Squirrels Come for Dinner

One day I was watching the old platform feeder and saw a squirrel happily climb a Shepard’s hook and push the seed off onto the ground for his friends. Trying to prevent this involved me in “the Battle of the Bird Feeder,” something all bird feeding people are drawn into. It’s pretty bad when all that the human mind can devise cannot outsmart a small tree climber.

• I tried baffles.

• I tried giving them their own feeder close to the fence, but away from the bird platform.

• I tried spraying WW40 on the Shepard’s hooks (non-toxic fish oil). Other products I have heard used included Vaseline. Don’t do that.

Problems with Birdfeed

In the beginning, I fed the birds a nut and seed mix. That worked well, but the sprouts were making a mess. Sunflowers coming up didn’t bother me, but the rest were weeds. Asking around, I found that every birder with experience spurns cheap bird seed. They contain fillers like red millet and oats. These are ingredients most birds here won’t touch. So, why pay for things the birds won’t eat.

Types of Seed for Feeders

1. Black Oil Sunflower and Striped Sunflower seeds are considered the best feed. Both have tough hulls that birds like House Sparrows and Starlings (birds we don’t want around) can’t easily get into. You can also buy shelled sunflower hearts, but they will spoil fast if left out. Only offer what they can eat in a day or two.

2. Safflower is also a hard-shell seed and the year around locals such as Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, doves, titmice and native sparrows love them. House sparrows again will find these hard to crack and go elsewhere.

Problems with Seeds 

So they say, House Sparrows won’t eat them, yet I had House Sparrows on the finch feeders anyway. Why? Because white millet, cracked corn, milo, golden millet, flax and other seeds are often added to mixes as fillers. Birds love them, but so do those House Sparrows and Starlings, squirrels, raccoons, deer, bears etc. I really didn’t want to invite the whole forest in for snacks.

The day I changed my feed was when something came after my feed containers. I was using medium sized hard plastic containers with locking lids. Something knocked the container from its shelf and dragged it halfway across the back yard before giving up. I had attracted raccoons.

The suggested seed information is just the beginning of what you can feed birds. When you know what birds you will be hosting, read up on their preferred foods. Read seed bag ingredients. Make sure of what you are buying.

Other Bird Food

For the birds that don’t eat seed, the offering is different. In autumn, Robins, Blue Jays, Chickadees and visiting Orioles like fruit. The Jays, Robins, Wrens, Chickadees and Towhees like nuts. Orioles like jelly, and thrushes and thrashers will rush your feeder if you add dried meal worms.

Problems with Storing Seeds

When storing bird seed, you will start noticing little larvae and fine silk forming around the inside of your container. Your box isn’t letting them in. These insects came with your seed. Pretty soon you will have little flies and moths flying out at you. The birds won’t turn their beaks up to extra protein, but if you have bugs forming in your seed; you have old seed, which could be harboring bacteria. Sorry to say when this happens, it’s best to chuck the seed, wash your container and buy fresh.

Bug Prevention

1. Freeze Your Seed – Yes, that’s right, freeze the seed when you first get it. Freeze it for two weeks, let stand for a few days and then freeze it for another two weeks to be sure to kill all the moth larvae and other bugs that may be present.

2. DO NOT Poison – Do not try to use pesticides on your bird seed. A large birdseed company tried this tactic some years ago and caused massive bird deaths in a five or six state area. They were hit with one of the largest fines ever given. The birds may not die at first bite, but you will have poisoned them.

3. Heating Bird Seed? – This is a tactic that has been around for a while to sterilize bird seeds thus keeping them from sprouting in your yard. If heat retards sprouts, will it also kill bugs? Experiments say no. Those hard hulls protect the seed from heat. They may sprout anyway and if they sprout it is likely that any bug eggs in them will hatch too.

Final Word

Feeding birds is a great way to attract both spring and winter birds. The object is to attract the birds to your yard to enjoy, but not become their main source of food. We supplement the birds when putting out feeders, so only put out what they will eat in one or two days at a time. However, as we saw in the winter of 2020, some winters are especially hard. Birders were encouraged across all southern states to put out food for the migrants. Massive die offs were reported, all due to starvation. Keep watch for news of these issues if you live on migration paths. Your backyard habitat may become a lifeline for hungry travelers.

Happy Birding

Photography

Title Image: Winter Gold Finches
Image 2: Backyard Birding Habitat
Image 3: Fountains in Spring
Image 4: Fountains in Winter
Image 5: Hummingbird Feeders
Image 6: Platform Feeders
Image 7: The Battle with Squirrels
Image 8: Tube Feeders
Image 9: Covered Barn Feeder