Should I feed the birds?
March 22, 2020 1:19 PM Subscribe
I have a small back yard--more like a patio surrounded by planter borders, really--that attracts the occasional hummingbird and other birds. I've gotten a lot of joy out of watching them from my window lately, and have been pondering putting out a hummingbird feeder and regularbird feeder. Should I? Or does that disrupt their ecosystems, and I should put specific plants in to attract them, instead? Any resources would be appreciated!
In case it's relevant, I live in the middle of a city, but there are still lots of trees and gardens in my neighborhood, including several deliberately intended to attract bees. We have tons of birds, I hear them every day, but only see the occasional one.
My back yard/patio is quite shady, so I think I'm limited in what I can grow.
I'm also slightly concerned about attracting too many birds, and somehow making my back yard a less pleasant place to be because of it. Is that a valid concern?
In case it's relevant, I live in the middle of a city, but there are still lots of trees and gardens in my neighborhood, including several deliberately intended to attract bees. We have tons of birds, I hear them every day, but only see the occasional one.
My back yard/patio is quite shady, so I think I'm limited in what I can grow.
I'm also slightly concerned about attracting too many birds, and somehow making my back yard a less pleasant place to be because of it. Is that a valid concern?
The best way to do this is to plant bird-friendly plants. They can provide shelter, nest materials and cover in addition to food. If you give your zone we can probably recommend specific plants that can work in planters.
I'm also slightly concerned about attracting too many birds...Is that a valid concern?
As an ecologist and bird lover: oh hell yes. Dozens of bickering pigeons and doves with a hundred sparrows, all over your yard all day? No good for you or the larger animal community. This is why people go nuts about all the different sorts of feeders, some can be set up to limit who can use it. In many urban contexts, broad spectrum feeders can easily be swamped by introduced commensal species and form a nuisance. This is also why in many cities it's illegal to feed the pigeons.
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:43 PM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
I'm also slightly concerned about attracting too many birds...Is that a valid concern?
As an ecologist and bird lover: oh hell yes. Dozens of bickering pigeons and doves with a hundred sparrows, all over your yard all day? No good for you or the larger animal community. This is why people go nuts about all the different sorts of feeders, some can be set up to limit who can use it. In many urban contexts, broad spectrum feeders can easily be swamped by introduced commensal species and form a nuisance. This is also why in many cities it's illegal to feed the pigeons.
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:43 PM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: I'm in Zone 10b, but my particular yard is particularly shaded by the surrounding fences and building, at least right now.
The things that are already growing there include: an asparagus fern, a jade plant, a holly bush, a Bird of Paradise I haven't yet seen bloom (only been here since October), a shrub-y thing that has long leaves and is just starting to show some purple flowers, a couple delicate-leaved small trees I can't identify, and some other leafy things growing from the ground that I can't identify but remind me of things that I have seen flowers sprout from before.
Maybe I just need to wait a bit longer to see what I already have that's going to start blooming?
posted by rhiannonstone at 2:05 PM on March 22, 2020
The things that are already growing there include: an asparagus fern, a jade plant, a holly bush, a Bird of Paradise I haven't yet seen bloom (only been here since October), a shrub-y thing that has long leaves and is just starting to show some purple flowers, a couple delicate-leaved small trees I can't identify, and some other leafy things growing from the ground that I can't identify but remind me of things that I have seen flowers sprout from before.
Maybe I just need to wait a bit longer to see what I already have that's going to start blooming?
posted by rhiannonstone at 2:05 PM on March 22, 2020
What I've always read from orni... orni... bird specialists is that the birds don't need our feed/syrup. Do it because you want to see these beautiful creatures close-up. Surprise: the bird feeders are really for you!
posted by tmdonahue at 2:09 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by tmdonahue at 2:09 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Be hyper-conscious of whether other problem species are being attracted if you do put out a feeder. I had a window feeder when I lived in Chicago, to which I got a lot of chickadees & mourning doves (no pigeons, though, thankfully.) Then one day the super asked me to take it down because the spilled seed was attracting rats.
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:09 PM on March 22, 2020
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:09 PM on March 22, 2020
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a great resource to answer all your questions. They welcome you to enjoy birds at your feeder. Here's their Project FeederWatch site with everything you need to get started ... maybe even join FeederWatch and report your sightings for Science!
posted by evilmomlady at 2:21 PM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by evilmomlady at 2:21 PM on March 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
I just want to mention that I used to have several feeders and while I really loved getting to see the birds that stopped by, I had to take them down. First, because a hawk spotted their little gathering spot and started swooping in - and then because first chipmunks and then mice were feeding up on the seed.
I'm trying something now that seems to be working though - I just spread a little seed on my deck railing in the morning, as much as I've seen the birds finish off in a day. The chipmunks still get their share but the birds do too, and we get to enjoy watching them.
posted by lemniskate at 5:15 PM on March 22, 2020
I'm trying something now that seems to be working though - I just spread a little seed on my deck railing in the morning, as much as I've seen the birds finish off in a day. The chipmunks still get their share but the birds do too, and we get to enjoy watching them.
posted by lemniskate at 5:15 PM on March 22, 2020
I can only speak to your slight concern about too many birds. I have 14 or 15 different bird feeders right now. We have a varied population that changes somewhat with the seasons. We’ve had unusual visitors who stay a day or two and move on and we had a Stellar’s Jay that spent a whole winter with us.
We were out working in the yard today and the amount of birdsong surrounding us sounded like a Disney movie. Seeing a flock of goldfinches at one of the feeders during the winter months is a breath of spring in a hard winter.
Watching the quail work their way around and bring their babies to eat brings me comfort and joy. Everything feels more alive with the birds (and squirrels, which I also love). I don’t think there could be too many birds, even with just one or two feeders.
posted by hilaryjade at 8:23 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
We were out working in the yard today and the amount of birdsong surrounding us sounded like a Disney movie. Seeing a flock of goldfinches at one of the feeders during the winter months is a breath of spring in a hard winter.
Watching the quail work their way around and bring their babies to eat brings me comfort and joy. Everything feels more alive with the birds (and squirrels, which I also love). I don’t think there could be too many birds, even with just one or two feeders.
posted by hilaryjade at 8:23 PM on March 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you do put up feeders, I suggest avoiding feed that has millet. I've had problems with house sparrows mobbing my feeders, and that stopped once I stopped using seed with millet. I have one feeder with a nut heavy mix and one feeder with suet on the sides and black oil sunflower seeds in the hopper, and this seems to discourage most undesirable species. I strongly recommend using a baffle to prevent squirrels and other animals from getting to your feeders.
posted by mollweide at 6:29 AM on March 23, 2020
posted by mollweide at 6:29 AM on March 23, 2020
I only have hummingbird feeders. They are delightful.
A relative of mine has feeders with seed to feed songbirds, and even with trays underneath to catch some of the spillage, colonies of fat rats come around to eat the stuff that gets scattered. It's gross.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:34 PM on March 23, 2020
A relative of mine has feeders with seed to feed songbirds, and even with trays underneath to catch some of the spillage, colonies of fat rats come around to eat the stuff that gets scattered. It's gross.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:34 PM on March 23, 2020
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I will say that hummingbirds can be attack-y little bastards so placement is key.
posted by fshgrl at 1:31 PM on March 22, 2020 [3 favorites]