by Midge Goeth

Here I am again sitting on the backyard deck enjoying my gardens and watching the antics of various species of birds. A couple months ago I talked about water in your garden to attract the birds and this month we will discuss food for these colorful creatures.

The way to a bird's heart is through its stomach. Well actually, there are other ways (such as providing water and shelter) but few would disagree that feeding them is the most popular - and fun.

I have fed birds from a feeding station year-round for quite some time. But since I now spend winters in Florida, I really enjoy watching the spring and summer activities around the feeders. One distinct pleasure of feeding in the summer is watching parents bring their young to the feeders to teach them how to catch a quick and easy meal. There is a lot of activity in early spring also when competition is high for natural food sources and the supply can be low.

Some folks believe bird feeding should be a winter-only activity, as birds have plenty of natural food to choose from during warmer times of the year. Some also would argue that feeding during the summer will cause birds to rely on your feeder and quit searching for natural food. I have heard from those who "know" that this is not the case. In fact in my own backyard I watch the finches go from the feeder to various flowers and shrubs gathering seeds and berries to eat. Even the hummingbirds go directly from the sugar water feeder to flowers and back again.

CHOOSING BIRD FEED

Sometimes it seems there are as many varieties of bird feed and bird feeders as there are birds themselves. While it may seem complicated, it really can be pretty simple. Take four popular varieties of birdseed, for example: sunflower, niger, corn and mixed.

Sunflower is the caviar of birdseed. Just about any species of bird will swarm to sunflower seeds, which is rich in protein, fats, vitamins and minerals. (Gee, guess I should be eating more sunflower seeds myself!) Black oil sunflower seed is particularly popular with folks who feed birds. It attracts more species than any other type of seed.

Hulled sunflower seed is also highly sought after. Although more expensive, it saves the birds the work of cracking the hulls open and saves you the work of cleaning them up.

Niger - also called thistle - is the small, sliver-like seed that attracts finches - in particular the vibrant yellow American Goldfinch. Purple and house finches also like it, as do chickadees and pine siskins.

Corn is a common feed, whether it is cracked, whole kernel or still on the cob. Cardinals, blue jays, juncos and mourning doves are especially attracted to cracked corn. Remember that squirrels and other critters also like corn. However, on the bright side, providing corn will keep them away from the expensive stuff.

For an inexpensive feed, try a mixture of sunflower seeds, cracked corn and a grain called white proso millet. This is an all purpose birdseed that attracts a variety of birds and is readily available from nurseries and discount stores.

There are many different types of feeders to choose from. The most popular are hopper and tubular feeders. The hopper feeders have roofs and trays, and are usually mounted on poles. Tube feeders are simple cylinders with perches and are most often hung from trees or poles.

Specialty feeders include suet, nectar and fruit feeders, all of which attract specific types of birds. Suet, or animal fat, is especially attractive to insect-eating birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches. Hang suet in an onion bag or in a squirrelresistant metal cage. Hanging suet last year for a pair of downy woodpeckers in my yard saved the wood trim on my garage!

Nectar feeders filled with a mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water will bring those beloved little hummingbirds to your yard. Orioles will come to sugar water (1 part sugar to 6 parts water) as well as to fruit feeders, which have pegs to hold orange halves.

Whichever birds you decide to invite to dinner (why not try them all!), you will easily win their hearts by supplying a wide variety of foods and feeders. And their mealtime antics will certainly win YOUR heart by giving you hours of pleasure and relaxation.