Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%..
Scattered thunderstorms early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Duncraft’s Eco-Strong ground platform feeder. MUST CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Duncraft.
The Squirrel-Be-Gone II wild bird feeder. MUST CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Perky-Pet.
The modern rustic double suet feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited.
The Birds-I-View window bird feeder.
Duncraft’s Eco-Strong ground platform feeder. MUST CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Duncraft.
The Squirrel-Be-Gone II wild bird feeder. MUST CREDIT: Photo courtesy of Perky-Pet.
The modern rustic double suet feeder from Wild Birds Unlimited.
The Birds-I-View window bird feeder.
Chad Witko, an outreach biologist in Vernon, Vermont, has been a birder since he was 3. His father was a waterfowl hunter and would bring birds home for him to examine. His mother helped him put homemade feeders in the yard.
Nate Swick, a birding podcaster in Greensboro, North Carolina, also loved birds as a child. His dad was a science teacher.
“We were always out in nature and the outdoors,” Swick says.
Witko, who’s with the National Audubon Society, and Swick, who’s with the American Birding Association, were ahead of their time, it seems.
Birdwatching boomed during the pandemic, with almost 9,000 new people joining the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s annual Global Big Day to appreciate birds in 2020, according to the Cornell team.
If you’re interested in joining the growing ranks of ornithophiles, all you need is a feeder, seed and a guide to the birds in your area.
“Choose the best bird feeder that you can afford,” Witko says.
Look for one that’s watertight. And you want to keep squirrels from damaging the feeder, so look for something that isn’t breakable or chewable.
“Solid wood, metal, hardened recycled plastic and even glass feeders are all excellent choices,” he adds.
If you want to attract a variety of birds, use multiple types of feeders.
We asked Witko and Swick to share some options for backyard bird feeders. Here are their picks.
“Hang it from a tree or shepherd’s crook,” he says, and fill it with black sunflower seeds, “one of the best types of bird seed you can get.”
This tube is easy to clean by pulling the central rod. All feeders should be cleaned periodically — as frequently as every one to two weeks, Witko says. Take the feeders apart and wash them with soap and hot water. Let them air-dry before refilling them.
Lindsey M. Roberts is a freelance writer in North Carolina.
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