A little help with Bird Watching?
July 27, 2010 Bird House Feeder
I’m a novice bird watcher and very recently started this whole bird watching business. I just put out some bird feeders but no birds have even landed on them let alone feed from them. So now I’m stuck. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong. I put them right where I see birds all the time. Do I need to wait till they realize it’s food that’s hanging there? And also I am curious to what types of bird seed attract which types of birds so i can have a variety of birds coming to feed at my feeders. I have the perfect habitat near my house and I already have a variety of birds around but I’d like to draw in more and keep the ones I have already around. Any tips or any kind of information from other bird watchers out there would be greatly appreciated 
Related Blogs
Comments (3)
Hummingbirds are fun, entertaining, full of energy and it’s easy to attract hummingbirds.
It can take a bit of time for the birds to figure out it’s food and how to access the food. Also, if you introduced something new (the feeders) to their environment, they may take a bit of time to familiarize with the new items and see them as safe to be around. A good wildbird mix of seeds will attract a variety of birds. You can usually look at the bags of the seeds and a lot of times they will tell you what kinds of birds will eat the seeds. Hope that helps.
Welcome to the wonderful world of bird watching/backyard birding! May I ask what type of bird food you used? Also what type of feeder are you using and where have you hung or mounted the feeder?
Most seed-eating birds love sunflowers. You are guaranteed to attract the widest variety of birds with sunflower seeds. That being said, there are two main types of sunflower seeds and depending on what type of birds you are trying to attract it’s a good idea to become familiar with both. The first type is known as the striped sunflower. This seed has a harder shell then second type, the black oil sunflower seed. The thicker shell of the striped sunflower makes it more difficult for House Sparrows and Blackbirds to crack. So, if you are looking to limit the amount of visitors to your feeder, striped sunflowers may be a perfect fit. In contrast to striped sunflower seeds, black oil sunflower seeds have a very thin shell and are appetizing to all seed eating birds. The kernels are very rich in fat, which is also valuable to most winter birds.
I would also recommend adding a running water source to your yard. Birds LOVE a running water source from a fountain bird bath or you can use a regular bird bath and also buy something called a "water wiggler." The water wiggler will move the water and create a rippling effect that birds will love.
Additionally, since you are now a part of the birdwatching world, join a couple of different Facebook Fan pages. You can gain more insight and also get some great coupons/deals. I am a fan of YourBirdOasis.com (http://www.yourbirdoasis.com) on Facebook. They have a really nice selection of bird feeders, bird houses, and bird baths and usually provide a weekly promotion or discount to their facebook fans.
Happy Birding!
Keep birdfeeders close to trees, bushes, and shrubs where wildbirds can easily escape from predators. Place some water or a birdbath near the food source.
As for attracting certain species of birds, blackoil sunflower seeds are a favorite of birds such as cardinals, grossbeaks, titmouses, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and most finches.
Safflower seed is a favorite of cardinals and doves.
Suet is a favorite of chickadees, flickers, woodpeckers, bluebirds, kinglets, robins, and wrens.
Juncos also enjoy eating pumpkin seeds.
Juncos, buntings, pigeons, cardinals, bobwhites, and sparrows enjoy cracked corn.
Bluejays and woodpeckers enjoy peanuts.
Bluejays, bluebirds, wrens, and wood warblers enjoy eating peanut butter.
Hummingbirds enjoy eating nectar.
Pine siskins, american goldfinches, and other finches enjoy eating nyger/thistle.
Sunflower seeds are a favorite of bluejays, finches, juncos, grossbeaks
Mealworms are a favorite of robins and bluebirds.
Wildbirds also enjoy eating fruits, such as oranges, apples, grapes, bananas, and berries.
Platform feeders will attract the most wildbirds. You can use tube feeders with small perches for smaller birds, like finches.