Wild bird feeding is an engaging recreation that often grows into a passion. There are many wild birds that will visit bird feeders, all of which are intriguing and fun to watch. Wild bird feeding is also a great way to demonstrate stewardship of the surrounding world, helping to restore a bit of the natural balance that humans are notorious for upsetting. The following paragraphs will describe a few of my favorite wild birds that may be seen at bird feeders, which foods will attract wild birds to feeders, and the effects of wild bird feeding on local ecology.
The Featured Players
Restricting the conversation solely to songbirds, various species still exhibit greatly differing feeding habits. Still, there are a great number of wild birds that will visit feeders. Some, like finches or the oft-dreaded house sparrow, may be frequent diners at a bird feeder, while others, like meadowlarks and scarlet tanagers, will rarely visit them. Of course, season, weather, competition, and food preferences all play a part in attracting particular birds to wild bird feeders.
It is quite difficult to list all possible feeder birds along with their favorite foods and behavioral peculiarities, as many an accomplished ornithologist can attest. Since I am not an ornithologist, I will keep the following list simple and concise. With no further ado, I give you these stars of the bird feeder stage.
The Nuthatch
These quirky birds have a compact, stubby build. They are generally a bluish-gray on their backs and wings, with black or brown on their heads. Nuthatches have relatively long, straight bills that aid in their seed cracking ability. In fact, nuthatches got their name from their habit of “hatching” seeds and nuts by wedging them into a crevice and hacking at them with their bills.
A more remarkable claim to fame may be their ability to scurry up and down tree trunks, seemingly defying gravity. They perform this acrobatic act in search of insects and their eggs. They supplement this diet with generous helpings of seeds, nutmeats, and suet offered at a bird feeder. Nuthatches will accept many types of bird feeders; hanging feeders, platform feeders, suet feeders, and windowpane feeders are all welcomed.
The Red-Bellied Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are another spectacular example of nature’s limitless diversity. Woodpeckers are flying jackhammers that burrow out holes in trees in search of food, and sometimes, to make a home. They are all irresistible eye-catchers; pictured here is the red-bellied woodpecker in action. This particular woodpecker is at times called the zebra woodpecker because of the distinctive white striping on its back and wings. The male’s crown is red all the way down to the nape of his neck, while the female shows red only just above her bill and on the nape, leaving the crown purely white. Both sexes have the characteristic red patch on their bellies, but it is a bit paler on the females.
Red-bellied woodpeckers do eat insects, but they are largely herbivorous. They often dine on seeds, fruit, and nuts, including cashews, almonds, and acorns. To attract red-bellied woodpeckers to a wild bird feeder, try using pieces of orange or a dab of peanut butter. They will also enjoy nutmeats or some nice, high-energy suet.
The American Goldfinch
The American goldfinch is an easy favorite of many wild bird feeder owners. The reasons are spectacularly clear. The striking plumage of the adult male in breeding season is unmistakable. He is a vibrant lemon yellow on his body, while his wings and crown are pitch-black. In the winter, the male American goldfinch loses most of the black on his cap, leaving only a small black area just above his bill. The rest of his crown and his back become a dark sandstone color, though he still has yellow extending in a broad line from his eyes back, then down and around to his throat, which is also yellow. This leaves him with a dark patch on the sides of his face, as if he had painted his cheeks.
The plumage of the female American goldfinch also changes seasonally. The summer breeding season finds her a bright yellow on her underparts, while her head and back are an olive green. She does not have a black cap like the male, but she does have black wings. In the winter, she is a darker green above, and her breast and belly become a grayish white.
Another reason people love the American goldfinch is that these birds love wild bird feeders. They eat many types of seeds, including thistle, hemp, sunflower seeds, millet, and nutmeats. They are gregarious birds that will usually travel in groups, often making a bird feeder a very busy place.
The American goldfinch is a year-round resident of most of the upper two-thirds of the U.S., extending into southern Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. The breeding range of a portion of the American goldfinch population comprises much of the lower one-third of Canada. These birds will migrate in winter to the southern and southwestern United States, with the effect that virtually all of the U.S. and southern Canada will host American goldfinches at least part of the year.
The Dark-Eyed Junco
Another common North American bird is the dark-eyed junco. Juncos nest on the ground, and they prefer to feed on the ground. They often have a difficult time when it snows, as their main source of food is buried. Wild bird feeders really go a long way in helping dark-eyed juncos and other ground-feeding birds during those tough times. A winter offering of suet may be particularly beneficial in keeping a junco’s energy levels and body heat up. They will enjoy a wild bird feeder containing peanuts, sunflower seeds, millet, or cracked corn as well.
Dark-eyed juncos are a species consisting of twelve subspecies, each with its own semi-distinct coloration. Generally, they will have a gray, black, or brown head and breast, and a white belly. The outer two or three feathers of their long tails are also white. Dark-eyed juncos have small bills that are pink to cream in color. The juncos’ breeding territory encompasses most of Canada and Alaska. In the winter, they are common throughout much of the U.S., excluding the southern tips of Florida and Texas.
The Northern Cardinal
The Northern cardinal is a non-migratory bird whose range stretches from the Great Plains of the United States to the east coast, and includes southern Arizona and New Mexico. Though considered common in these parts, many people feel a sense of awe every time they see a male cardinal. His bold red plumage, regal crest, and black facial masking surely set him apart. His mate will have the same very recognizable shape, but she will be of a buffy brown color, with red remaining on the wings.
Cardinals generally feed on the ground, but they are not at all opposed to bird feeders. Cardinals are attracted to wild bird feeders with sunflower seeds, melon seeds, or peanut butter. Not surprisingly, the northern cardinal is many peoples’ favorite bird feeder patron – not only because of their striking appearance, but also for their pleasant song.
The Human Element
Humans are amazing creatures. Our ability to adapt to situations, and to adapt situations to ourselves, is what has ensured our survival these many millennia. Ironically, it is precisely that ability which now threatens that survival. We have come a long way as a species, especially in terms of technology. We have developed such a capacity for invention, that not only does it boggle the mind – it often improves and lengthens life, as well.
Certainly, we have made many mistakes. This is usually a result of rushing on to our next clever thing before we have fully considered the effects of the current one. We never have to stop moving forward – though we may need to redefine what “forward” is – we simply need to be a bit more thoughtful about our actions. Perhaps we can attain this goal through individual stewardship of our immediate environs. Is there a reason we cannot?
A person can demonstrate stewardship of our world in many ways. Planting a tree, buying organic foods, recycling, and reducing fuel use are just a few easy examples.
Feeding wild birds is an ecologically beneficial example of stewardship that is also very entertaining. New backyard birders often find themselves quickly engrossed in the lives of the birds at their wild bird feeders.
A Final Thought
We reach monumental goals through the accomplishment of a series of smaller goals. Feeding wild birds is a small, but valuable, step toward finding a healthy and balanced – while modern and productive – life within this natural world.
