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Snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%..

Variable clouds with snow showers or flurries. Low 29F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 40%.

Often, I have looked out my living room window across my alley and to my neighbor’s house only to see birds of all species fly up to my air conditioner where I suppose they have a nest. This isn’t only a winter thing, but a year-long event as well. I have no question if they are here or not. I see them fly above my house or just glide over my neighbor’s swimming pool. Sitting in my favorite chair, it’s not uncommon to see a hawk perch on my neighbor’s roof for long periods of time scouting the neighborhood where wildlife seems to wander somewhere in the yards directly below.

With that said, one of the best ways to enjoy wildlife in the comfort of my home is by feeding birds using a bird feeder. All one has to do is hang a store-bought contraption filled with seed or suet and a good number of species will show up for viewing eventually. Experts disagree about whether backyard bird feeding will significantly help bird populations. But feeding certainly can help individual birds in the neighborhood.

The general rule for feeding any wild animal is do not put out seed when it might cause harm. With birds, there are few situations. If one has a question about whether or not to feed these fine-feathered friends, do so.

I know several people who feed birds year-round. Is that a bad thing to do? One need not feed birds all year long. Only when the temperatures get extremely cold, late winter, and early spring when natural seed sources are depleted.

Most birds don’t need help in the summer. When they are nesting and rearing their young, many birds focus on eating insects, so feeding is less necessary at those times. It is also important for young birds to learn how to find naturally occurring foods, so don’t fill the feeder abundantly in the summer.

Two exceptions to this rule are hummingbirds and goldfinches. Often summer hummers search for nectar in feeders to help fuel their high metabolism. Nyjer seeds will nourish goldfinches.

Don’t be concerned if it becomes necessary to leave town periodically – while traveling, for example. In all but the most severe weather conditions, wild birds will find other food to live on, particularly in suburban areas where other birdfeeders are just a short flight away. If one lives in a rural or isolated area, however, try to arrange to have a neighbor maintain the feeders during winter absences.

Birds are most likely to eat where they feel safe from predators, including free-roaming cats. Place feeders 12 feet from a brush pile, evergreen tree, or bush. Birds can quickly fly 12 feet to reach the safe cover, yet predators cannot use it to hide with within striking range of the feeder. As further protection, place chicken wire or thorny branches around ground-level feeders. When I lived with my parents in Laughlintown, occasionally we would have birds fly into the windows at the rear of our house and meet their demise.

In the US alone, 600 million birds a year die after a collision with windowpanes. A writer from Better Homes and Gardens suggested using UV-reflective decals to put on windows to alert birds to the presence of a potential hazard ahead. She also suggested buying from Amazon Glass Alert Distraction Markers so birds will stay clear of the windows. Altering the appearance of one’s window helps, too. On the outside, hang streamers. If collisions still occur, cover one’s windows with thin plastic garden netting, which will give a bird a better chance of surviving.

To prevent collisions, place feeders either more than 30 feet from a window or closer than 3 feet. When a feeder is 3 feet from a window, this short distance prevents a bird from building up enough momentum for a fatal collision.

Recommended bird food includes black oil sunflower seed, white Proso millet, peanuts, suet cakes, Nyjer seed, and cracked corn.

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