This guide is designed to help whether you’re interested in or new to bird feeding, or if you are already feeding birds.
To feed birds or not to feed birds?
Feeding birds has benefits and drawbacks. The birds get extra nourishment and we humans get to enjoy watching them at close range. But feeders can cause problems by increased transmission of avian diseases, predation from cats, and attracting bears and other nuisance wildlife into your yard.
Done right, bird feeding can be good for the birds and for you and not cause undesirable side effects.
If you decide to feed birds in your yard…
Winter is the most desirable time of year to feed birds. Natural food is more difficult for the birds to obtain in Winter, and bears are generally hibernating from 1 December to March. Birds need water for drinking and bathing, you’ll need a submersible thermostat/heater or heated bird bath. You should commit to feed the birds all Winter. The birds need to have a reliable source of food, or they waste their energy coming to your yard. If you want to help birds this is very important.
We do not recommend feeding birds during Summer. First, there is ample natural food available to birds during the Summer. Second, any time you provide an artificial food source, birds can concentrate in a small area, which increases the potential for spreading disease. We do recommend providing a water source for bird use during Summer as it is more valuable to birds in Summer than food, since food in the form of insects and seed is naturally quite plentiful.
If you do plan to feed birds during Summer, then the following can decrease the chances of negatively affecting bears in the area. Bears are generally active...
Follow these guidelines:
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Hang feeders 10′ high, and at least 10′ from any supporting post or tree. Or put them behind electric fencing that is at least 6′ high.
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Or take your feeders down and bring them in at night, or if you leave town.
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Only put a small amount of food in the feeder, this reduces the reward if a bear finds your feeder.
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Clean out the area under the feeders regularly with a broom or rake.
Hummingbird Feeders
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Hummingbird feeders need the same separation from bears as seed feeders.
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Change the sugar water at least every 5 days, and more often in warmer weather. Use only white granulated sugar with a 4:1 water to sugar ratio to make your sugar water. As long as the water is clean there is no need to bring it to a full boil, just warm the water enough to dissolve the granulated white sugar completely. Larger batches can be made and stored in a refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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Rinse the feeders with hot water between refills. Dish soap can be used to clean the feeders, as long as they are thoroughly rinsed before refilling. Also check daily for signs of mold, and if you find any then clean the feeder with a gentle bleach solution, rinse thoroughly and refill it with fresh sugar water.
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It’s also a good idea to clean the feeders with a gentle bleach solution at the beginning and end of each feeding season.
Other Considerations
Keep your cats in the house. House cats are deadly to birds, causing in excess of 20% mortality of local wildlife (birds, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles).
Store all bird food indoors in sealed containers to avoid conflicts with bears, raccoons, and rodents.
Keep your feeders, bird bath and the surrounding area clean. Pick up all waste seed, hulls, and shells regularly from beneath the feeders.
