Dr. Navtej Kohli Blog

Welcome back! I’m back again with one more interesting post on Navtej Kohli Blog.

Ornithology has come a long way from forests to our backyards. Observing birds and their amusing antics is my favorite pastime. As a kid, I had fun tossing out bread crumbs and some cracked corn onto the snow covered ground. I had one simple feeder which was good enough. However, today we have a plethora of feeders and gadgets to choose from and we are creating backyard habitats. Bird feeders are a great way of drawing various species of birds to your little yard.

I vaguely recall from my childhood, I was grinding Indian corn with my mom’s hand crank meat grinder. I placed the cracked corn on a crude platform feeder I had made from a piece of plywood and some old floor molding. Feeding birds seemed to be a winter-only thing. Now I care for birds year round. I have several feeders, squirrel baffles, water sources and my own little backyard habitat.

Except to feeders, food itself has evolved. The premium food has turned wild birds into backyard pets. Avid birders are on a constant look out for new ways to attract wild birds.

Out of my own experience and what I have learned from my ornithologist friends, there are four basics of attracting birds to your yard.

1. Food sources: It can be as simple as a feeder or two. Black oil sunflower seed will attract the greatest variety of desirable birds to your yard. Feed can be custom blended to help attract certain species of birds in your area. Plant native flowers, shrubs and trees that offer seed, nuts, berries nectar.

2. Feeders are now designed for specific birds and to keep squirrels and larger birds at bay. There are finch feeders, woodpecker feeders, nectar feeders and suet feeders. Feeders can be tubes, platforms or hoppers.

3. Fresh water: It will attract some birds quicker than what feeder might. A birdbath, old pie pan or saucer to a flower pot will work.

4. Protection: this is a must, if you want birds to feed and bathe in your yard. Birds need to feel safe from predators. It is important to place food and water in the open, yet close to trees and shrubs for that quick get away when needed.

5. Nesting sites: it can be a simple nest box properly located, to several trees and shrubs birds find to their liking.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 8th, 2008 at 6:34 am and is filed under Navtej Kohli is passionate about Ornithology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.