Why Should We Feed Wild Birds?

The US Fish & Wildlife Service reports that approximately 54 million people in the US feed wild birds. Feeding the birds has become the second most popular �passive� hobby in our country. Gardening ranks as number one, and I have to wonder what kind of gardening they studied, as I would never have termed that hobby �passive.�

Providing food for the birds doesn�t just mean having bird feeders. You can create a bird-friendly environment in many ways. Deciduous and evergreen trees provide both seeds and shelter, as do shrubs and ornamental grasses for ground birds. Many birds have an appetite for fresh fruit, so bushes, weeds and trees that have berries are especially tempting. Flowers attract insects and can be left to go to seed which provides food during the winter.Water Conservation: Begin your planning around this one main feature of xeriscaping. Research the drought-resistant and native plants common to your area. Know what the annual precipitation is for your area and how it is spread throughout the season.Another important reason is that wild birds are bug-eating machines. The birds you attract to your feeders and garden will also seek out mosquitoes, caterpillars, slugs and snails to dine on. Those much-maligned starlings wandering over your lawn will eat Japanese beetle larvae and also go after gypsy moth larvae, which most native birds scorn. A Baltimore oriole can eat seventeen hairy caterpillars a minute, and a pair of flickers can polish off five thousand ants as an appetizer. Hummingbirds have the highest relative food consumption of any bird and consume half their body weight (about two ounces) in food every day, most of that being soft-bodied insects (mosquitoes!) and spiders.Use Proper Plants: Native plants are the best choices for drought resistance and low maintenance. Consider the size of the plant upon maturity and whether it will require pruning or pest treatment. Keep plants with similar needs together. Don't plant drought resistant varieties side by side with those that require regular watering.Take note of the shape of the land and the drainage patterns. Plan areas of run off to flow toward plants that require more watering.Put your irrigation system on a timer and set for early morning waterings, before it starts to get hot.

The final argument for feeding the birds? Maybe we owe them. It�s very true that extinction of the species occurs naturally, but man�s interference has accelerated the rates to an alarming degree as our population has expanded and their natural habitat has been decimated. Surely, it�s only fair that we help them out by making our yards more welcoming to them.

Author: Susan Woodward