Set the table and provide ample food (do bears sit in the woods)
Try to place the bird feeder in a safe environment. (It is covered by bushes, etc.) Be careful to stay away from the environment where the cat can hide.
Add a bird bath, which allows bird friends to drool in a frozen environment.
It is possible to build a shelter but stay away from the bird feeder. Birds have territorial awareness, but bird feeders attract more than one family.
Pay attention to cleaning bird feeders and bird baths to avoid bird infections.
When you do these or a few of them, some birds will slowly visit your backyard. Please wait.
The birds will find your banquet, but it may take several weeks. Sparrows may appear first, and other birds will follow. Soon, bluebirds, cardinals, finches, and others will arrive. Hummingbirds will stay in the warmer months. After setting up the feeder, you will see birds you have never seen before. What species you will encounter depends on where you are.
When your home becomes the most popular foraging ground, you can sit down and enjoy the show. It's fun to watch the birds vying for positions on the feeder, and it's also fun to pay attention to how they come and go.
1/ Observing with the naked eye is actually a good thing.
2/ If you don't want to miss the rare ones like me, you can find a suitable location to install a small camera, similar to a security camera, you can view it on your mobile phone.
3/ Most people will also buy a pair of binoculars, which cost 100-3000 USD, but according to the distance most people place, 8 times or less is enough.
4/ Take a few photos. It’s still worth tens of thousands of dollars on a mobile phone that you carry with you, depending on whether you just want to see or want a high-resolution photo like the one on National Geographic.
5/ For people like me who don’t want to invest too much money and don’t want to guard behind the window, of course, they don’t want to miss the bird. It’s best to leave a few photos to understand what kind of person he is, what he likes to eat, and what Time to multiply. The smart bird feeder is a good novelty choice. He will remind you when a bird visitor stops, and automatically recognize and leave a photo.
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“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
—Henry David Thoreau
PALP=to touch, PROT=origin. Back origin, back yourself.
]]>"Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer."
-Joseph Campbell
In a social environment surrounded by humans, we have been accepting various standards since we were young. "How should a boy be?" "How should a girl be?" "What major should I study" "What should I do for a job" "What clothes should I wear" "What should I say" "How should I spend my life in order to be successful" ...Do you even need someone to tell me how to live my life? ! We have so many things added to our bodies that we don't know which ones belong to us. As animals that gain a sense of security in groups, it is too easy for humans to drift with the flow and lose themselves. But there is only one way of life in this world, which is to follow your own heart.
"Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is."
— Albert Camus
But how easy is that? Schools, companies, communities...We go from one group to another, interacting with all kinds of people, dealing with all kinds of things, and leaving almost no space for ourselves to think about. Henry David Thoreau said in Walden“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” 200 years later, it is still the case.
"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
—Oscar Wilde
When I climbed the mountain several times, I had a different experience than before. When the trees pass by you, the birds are noisy around, and squirrels are blocking the way from time to time, I begin to break away from the breath of reinforced concrete, and the smell of mud and green grass penetrates into my lungs. At the same time, my heart, my sense of smell seemed to become more sensitive, and my hearing became more acute. When fatigue began to mix with these feelings, there was no sign but it seemed to be the inevitability of long-term accumulation, and I began to examine myself. Look at my life, my relationships, my work, my family, and finally, look at myself. It's difficult, but I know I will find the answer eventually.
“I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.”
—Henry David Thoreau
Camp at Burnt Corral Campground on Apache Lake | Photo: Kevin Kaminski
Then, as you can see, I got the answer after struggling many times. What is the meaning of work? In short, it's not money. For me, I want to be able to help others, even if one makes his life more transparent and easier, it is worth doing. What is the meaning of a person's life? Pursue success under social standards? But people die but occupy a two-meter-long piece of land-no matter how great you are, you still belong to the same destination. So the important thing should be this journey. When death comes, looking back on my life, what have I experienced? What is left for this world? This is how the infinite game is played!
I am not a person who likes to instill my own opinions into others, so I choose to create an environment where more people can get answers and give people a shovel. Where does this road lead? Shop by yourself.
PALPROT is this shovel.
What makes me want to laugh in this world is that shovel also has thresholds and prejudices. Prejudice, the insurmountable consciousness of human beings.
When I wanted more people to come into contact with nature and return to nature, I found that most people have this will, but they cannot follow their own will. I mean, first of all, outdoor products are not cheap. Any outdoor sports will either cost you a lot of money or spend a lot of time on learning skills, fishing, climbing, camping, hiking, bird watching...please, we were there thousands of years ago, how short is it? For thousands of years, going home has become the privilege of people with money and time? Even among different races, this ratio is far different.
--2021-outdoor-participation-report
Well, then I will start by lowering this threshold.
Reducing the price of various outdoor products is not a fundamental solution to the problem. I think the way humans entered nature has gone wrong since these two hundred years, and I will start by changing this way.
Bird Detective is just the beginning.
The first commercial bird feeder designed for hummingbirds was produced in 1926, and the history of bird feeding in the United States can be traced back to 1845 when Henry David Thoreau was in Walden Pond. ) Feed the birds. Later, the bird feeder developed a variety of branches, for big birds, for small birds, squirrel-proof, and so on.
Why did it all start? I mean, where are the driving force for the first person to feed the bird and the one who made it popular and enduring?
I think the first answer should be kindness. When we see white snow and a few birds struggling to find food to sustain themselves and the little ones in the family, it is difficult to do nothing.
When I started feeding the birds, I slowly got rewarded-they were also feeding me and nourishing my spirit. It is a pleasure to have their company. When you wake up to eat breakfast, you see them eating the breakfast you provide. This feeling of being able to take care of others is wonderful. Feeding someone is a noble job. It generates positivity in you, and every positive thing is good for you, even more so for purposeless help.
This feeling will become addictive after deepening, and this is the second answer. From them, I experienced the breath of nature, which gave me a place in the hustle and bustle of life. In this place, I can take a breath, do nothing, do not have to think about anything, quietly Looking at them, is a kind of healing, like meditation, it seems to strengthen the connection between me and nature. In comparison, investing in a bird feeder and a few bags of bird food is not worth mentioning.
Then, bird feeders with cameras and smart bird feeders came into being. People hope that in addition to feeding the birds, they can also watch the birds and experience the natural atmosphere they bring.
Bird feeders with cameras are usually divided into two types: those that can only be stored locally via an SD card and those that can be viewed online via a mobile phone. This is not difficult to understand.
But what is a smart bird feeder? To put it simply, the smart bird feeder is a bird feeder that, after sensing the bird, the app reminds and recognizes the type of bird, automatically takes a picture, and can watch the real-time picture after being connected, and can share it with others, or share the picture or share the machine.
The first difference is that it can remind you the first time the bird comes, you don’t have to wait for the bird to come by guarding the bird feeder, and you won’t miss any bird; secondly, the smart bird feeder can recognize the type of bird. Tell you what bird is and related information, and will automatically save a photo, even if you miss the reminder.
In addition, this is a social product that supports sharing. Not only can you easily share pictures and videos on the Internet, you can also connect a bird feeder with your family and friends. When a bird comes, it will remind every user at the same time. You can also connect multiple smart bird feeders to one mobile phone at the same time. I think researchers and experts like this feature the most.
All this is not as easy as it seems. It requires the systematic cooperation of machine algorithms, visual recognition, and sound recognition, and a powerful bird database (up to 10,000 species). Fortunately, we finally overcome these problems.
We hope that through it, you don't have to wait for hours or even a day, and you don't have to hide behind the window and look at it when the bird arrives.
People who are keen on bird watching or even shooting birds, they need to stay in bird gathering places for several days. They need professional cameras, binoculars, and even some equipment to help them hide. The cost of time and money is very high. Birds, as the only wild animals that most people can see every day, are the closest carriers between man and nature.
Smart bird feeders allow anyone to watch birds anytime and anywhere and establish some connection with nature every day.
It is our original intention to make bird watching a thing that most people can do, make contact with nature a more inclusive thing, change the way people interact with nature, and lower the threshold.
The Harpy Eagle (scientific name: Harpia harpyja), also known as the Harpy Eagle, is related to the Harpy in Greek mythology. Harpia is a monster with a human face and an eagle body, who is responsible for bringing the dead to Hades.
They are one of the largest eagles in the world, and only the ape-eating eagle is larger than them. It can grow to a full 1 meter high. The claws of the horned eagle are extremely strong, can hold down the prey, exert a pressure of 4.1M Pascal, and a grip strength of 180kg. Although it is huge in size, the noise made during flight is very small, even if it passes over the head of the prey, it is not easy to be noticed. The prey of horned eagles are mainly tree-dwelling mammals, such as spider monkeys, long-nosed raccoons, anteaters, and sloths, and occasionally attack larger animals such as capybara and deer.
by Judie Custer
It is also the national bird of Panama. In the Panamanian national emblem, you can see a brown eagle with its head up and wings spread out, with a ribbon in its mouth, and the country's motto-"For the benefit of the world" in Latin. That bird is a horned eagle.
Harpy Eagle Range by Cocoloi/wikipedia
To your surprise, its side and front appearance are often very contrasting. Viewed from the side, it is majestic and "rageous"; the carved beak is tightly closed and the black eyes are deep, showing mighty masculinity.
Its front is often full of cuteness: the small mouth is drawn into a seam, and the pointed beak is crossed into a cross, and the black feathers on the head prop up a "crown", adding a bit of funny and gentleness to it.
The Philippine eagle is the national bird of the Philippines. The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), also known as the monkey-eating eagle or great Philippine eagle, There are currently less than 500 pairs remaining, mainly concentrated in In the rain forest of Mindanao. It is one of the largest and rarest eagles in the world. It belongs to the large-scale eagles. It is praised as the "most noble flying man" in the world and has the reputation of "the tiger in the eagle". The ape carving is strong in body and fierce, with a body length of 1 meter(2.82 to 3.35 ft) , a weight of 9 kilograms(8.9 to 17.6 lb)., and two wings spread up to 3 meters.
by neon2rosell/flicker
The territory of the ape-eating eagle is estimated to be about 100 square kilometers. People have always thought that it only feeds on monkeys. However, later studies have shown that the so-called monkey-eating eagle also eats other animals, such as mountain lions, serpents, monitor lizards, and even large lions. Birds, such as hornbills.
by Pierre Fidenci
The shoebill was once "ridiculed" by many netizens because of its stupid appearance and habits. It's also known as whalehead, whale-headed stork, or shoe-billed stork. It's stupid because it has a funny and cute face, and it often stays still for a long time, even if it is beaten by wind and rain. When looking at people, it looks exactly like Erha's expression, and sometimes bows to humans, and is known and loved by people. But in fact, the stork is the natural enemy of crocodiles, and it is extremely powerful and explosive. Moreover, its digestive ability is extremely strong, and turtles dare to swallow directly with their shells.
by claudia gray/zsy
The shoebill lives in the huge swamps of the Republic of Sudan and Zambia in tropical eastern Africa. It usually comes out at night and does not sing (degeneration of the bellows muscle), but it can make a "click, click" sound like a white stork. In Uganda, he is also called the "Father of Shoes".
The blue-footed booby is a large tropical seabird distributed on the west coast of America, from Mexico to Ecuador. Its English name is "Blue-footed Booby", you will know a thing or two by looking at its name.
by kelly/reddit
The first reason is that it has a pair of very eye-catching, colorful blue feet; the second reason is that it walks crookedly and looks silly and cute; the third reason is that it is usually not afraid of people and a little guard No, it is easy to be caught by people, so it is called "fool".
by Rosemary Claire Smith
Its nostrils are completely closed, and it mainly breathes through its mouth. The blue-footed fins of the blue-footed booby are the key to breeding choices. The male blue-footed boobies will raise their feet high, dance a unique courtship dance, and spread their wings to attract the attention of females. The bluer the male's feet, the more chance it has.
In this age where love is becoming more and more fast, it seems that being able to "last forever" with a partner has become something that only appears in the fairy tale world, but this sentiment is actually still persisted by many species, and it is cute and rare. "Blue-footed boobies" is the representative of them!
Long-wattled Umbrellabird is a strange bird and the largest bird in America. The male bird has a long black thorn with a large crown shaped like an umbrella, and both are named after this bird. These decorations are enhanced by display during the breeding season. The smaller females lack long thorns and are quite similar to crows.
It inhabits a fairly narrow area on the Pacific slopes of the Andes in southwestern Colombia (choco) and western Ecuador (as far as El Oro in the south).
The strong and undulating flight is carried out with a slow wingbeat. During the flight, the ridges flatten, the lobes shorten and close to the breasts.
The Podargidae family includes 15 species of frogmouths. As the name suggests, frogmouth has a large, flat, hook-shaped beak that looks like a frog's mouth when opened! During the day, they stretch horizontally on the branches and sleep. Their mysterious color helps them blend in with the bark. Frog mouths are nocturnal. They eat insects and small animals such as frogs and mice. They often beat the prey with rocks after capturing it.
People sometimes confuse frog beaks with owls, but they do not have claws like owls. They are also known for laughing and singing loudly and communicating messages to each other.
The king vulture(Scientific Name: Sarcoramphus papa) spends hours soaring without flapping its wings. It flies much higher in the air than other species of vulture, which prefer to soar close to the treetops.By making perfect use of air currents, vultures can soar for hours at a time without flapping their wings.
When a king vulture lands, other birds make way for it. Though it appears to dominate over a feeding site, this vulture actually relies on other, stronger-beaked carrion-eaters to initially rip open the hide of a carcass.Vultures rarely attack live animals, and only attack when the animal is disabled or dies due to disease or injury.
by honoluluzoo
King vultures are one of the largest New World vulture, second only to condors. They range from Mexico to Argentina and feed on carrion.
The strange, warty-faced Muscovy Duck causes confusion for some bird watchers, as it's very distinctive and quite commonly seen. The male Muscovy Duck is the largest duck in North America. Aztec rulers wore cloaks made from the feathers of the Muscovy Duck, which was considered the totem animal of the Wind God, Ehecatl.
One of the oldest domesticated fowl species in the world, the Muscovy Duck was already being kept by native people in Peru and Paraguay when the early Spanish explorers arrived. The word “Muscovy” may refer to the Muscovy Company (incorporated in London in 1555), which transported these ducks to England and France.
Hope you were scared by ugly today, if not, then next time.
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From macaulaylibrary/April Eisele
By Peter Brannon
provided by Birds of the World
By Tim J.Hopwood
provided by Birds of the World
by Noah Frade
provided by Birds of the World
by Todd Steckel
provided by Birds of the World
]]>As in many countries, cats are the leading cause of death for garden birds. A recent data from the Mammal Association estimates that cats in the UK catch up to 27 million birds each year, for a total of 275 million prey each year. In the United States, this number is between 130 and 4 billion birds, and most institutions think it is around 2.4 billion.
At the same time, cats are also a threat to global biodiversity. Cats have caused the extinction of 63 species of wild birds, mammals, and reptiles and continue to adversely affect various other species, including those at risk of death, such as the pipe plover.
Although this number may seem incredible, it represents the combined impact of tens of millions of outdoor cats. So it is that the state of being hungry or complete does not affect the decision of cats to kill birds. This is something in their genes. We all know that cats are not easy to tame.
Doing nothing is unacceptable to a kind person and bird lover. Therefore, after many tests, we give the following effective methods for reference. But before that, I will first list several invalid and dangerous ways that some people often say.
Brightly colored collars. Most birds are very sensitive to bright colors. If your cat wears a rainbow collar (well this may make others misunderstand you), the probability that it wants to approach the bird silently will dramatically drop.
A good way to keep cats away from bird feeders is to ensure that the bird table is high and out of reach.
Best results: Please hang the bird feeder on a high pole in the middle of the yard. Placing the bird feeder in an open place will make it more difficult for the cat to sneak close to the bird or climb on the bird feeder. You don't want the cat to be able to climb up the deck or tree to easily access the bird feeder. In addition, adding a good baffle to the pole will achieve almost perfect results. Many people make the mistake of placing bird feeders on the back of the deck or hanging them from trees. When you place bird feeders in these locations, cats can easily hide and climb up to get close to the birds.
Note: Hang high in the air, away from window sills, fences and branches. If the feeder is connected to a pole or stake, it should be made of metal or plastic, not wood that the cat can climb. Enclosing bird feeders and bird baths with barbed wire will also make bird visitors safer.
RSPB also recommends that the feeder should be placed about 2m away from the dense vegetation to prevent sudden attacks by cats, but to allow birds to easily enter the shelter. Keep the nest box away from cats, as they may prevent the parent birds from entering the nest box.
Most cats hate being sprayed. Buying a spray gun and spraying it at the intruder a few times can usually solve the problem. You can also use a motion-sensing sprinkler system. The motion-sensing sprinkler system will spray water on any animal (or person) moving in the area. You can imagine a cat or other uninvited guest moving silently and suddenly a water spray on the body panicked. Believe me, your cat will quietly find a place to start combing his hair in the next half an hour.
Lavender and lemon thyme are safer choices. Scent is indeed a good way to stop cats from approaching bird feeders without harming them.
Other options: You can easily add homemade fragrance to prevent cats from using bird feeders. Sprinkling vinegar or citrus oil around bird feeders is usually a very cost-effective way to stop cats from hanging out. If you don’t want to make your own, you can also buy a pre-made deterrent.
Whether you are using a home formula or buying a pre-made concentrate, it is important to understand that you should not put the fragrance directly on the feeder. You don't want birds to accidentally ingest it. Instead, place the scent around the bird feeder to deter cats without risking the birds.
Covering the soil with rocks, shale mulch, or pine cones can greatly reduce its appeal to cats. Using upside-down plastic carpet slides (tips facing up) to line the perimeter can be very effective, because cats don't like to walk on these points.
Make the most of plants
Although this may be a very uncomfortable thought, one way to keep cats away from bird feeders is to plant the feeder in a prickly or uncomfortable shrub (such as a holly tree). If there are specific areas that cats like, planting a series of upright branches in the soil will solve the problem. It is also very effective to spread thick prickly roses or some cacti around the yard or the area where the cat crosses the fence.
This will definitely make it more difficult for cats to get close to the feeder, and we are pretty sure they won't try to jump or enter the bush anytime soon-even with attractive snacks.
The more exciting the house you build for your cat, the less he wants to roam outside. From building a DIY cat stand so that it can peek out and investigate the outdoors, to food puzzles, let them express their intuition in a productive way.
If you have a beautiful large garden, then your cat has no reason not to continue enjoying the outdoors.
We understand that not everyone has so much time and energy on these things, but when birds are most vulnerable, please keep your cat indoors: at least one hour before sunset and one hour after sunrise. Especially during March to July and December to January, and after severe weather such as rain or cold weather, allow birds to come out to feed.
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Divination is to tell the past, present, and future behaviors by understanding birds and their flight patterns. It is one of the oldest forms of divination used in ancient Greece, Rome, the Celtic Empire, and Egypt (among other countries). It is also known as reading auspicious and bird.
Birds are special creatures-they bridge the gap between man and heaven. Birds are the messengers of the gods, but they are also considered spiritual pillars in various cultures, guiding the dead to other areas. The Romans called it "divination" and the Greeks called it "ornithology", but they were essentially the same-obtaining information about the gods by reading the types, numbers, flight patterns, and behaviors of birds. The Romans and Greeks believed that divination was the divine spiritual leader and asked them for advice and fortune-telling. The ancient Celtic priest Druid also conducted divination.
Nekhbet depicts grasping Shen here.
In ancient Egypt, certain birds were sacred and related to specific gods. Ibis is related to Thoth. Thoth is portrayed as a man with an ibis head. The god Horus is the head of the eagle. Nekhbet is the vulture goddess of Upper Egypt. Moreover, although the great mother god Isis of ancient Egypt is not depicted as a bird, it is the goddess of the sky with wings. The mummy bird found in the ruins of an ancient temple is a testament to bird worship.
If you want to learn how to do divination, the first step is to let the birds show themselves to you. You can go out and look for birds in the wild, but divination is most effective when birds are conveying information to you. After all, this is a sacred thing.
First, observe the types of birds. Ask yourself these questions: Is it a native bird? Can I see it every day? What kind of bird is it? The importance behind the species of birds you see is that in addition to divination, birds have their own symbolic meaning; however, the symbolic meaning should be considered when reading mascots. For example, if you keep seeing 5 crows murdered in the yard, it’s time for mystery and renewal. If you see a cardinal in the yard-this is a sign of happiness and growth. It is very important to learn the basic symbolism of birds. Make a note of your bird research diary. Learn how to identify them.
Next, consider the number of birds. Have it? Two interactions? ten? a lot of? Hundreds? Numerology began to play a role in divination and reading bird flight patterns. A basic understanding of numerology is helpful, but not required. For example, a pair of cardinals may bring a message of romantic love. The same is true for mourning pigeons, they often travel in pairs. Lonely birds indicate that individuals need to recharge or learn personal lessons on their own. Use your intuition about the number of birds and use numerology to deepen your understanding.
Another important aspect of divination, and perhaps the most important, is observing the behavior of birds. First, are the birds calling each other? call you? Are they making the sound they usually make or is it a sign of pain? This is an important part of ancient Roman divination. Usually, a fortuneteller spends his entire life learning and interpreting the sounds of different sacred birds.
Secondly, the physical behavior of birds is crucial. For example, is the bird's behavior normal? Are they fighting? Escape from predators or hunt down prey? Are they looking for food or a partner? Keep the nest? When you understand the typical behavior of certain birds, you will immediately notice their abnormal behavior. Fol began to behave "strangely". Birds give us spiritual information, but they also warn us of danger. If a bird flies into your window, your house or your car, they will have emergency information. Observe carefully what the bird does. Observe its movements and sounds. Do you want to escape? Comfortable? These actions played a role in divination.
By direction.
The prophets of ancient Rome had a special way to interpret the flight patterns of birds. The sky is divided into several parts. According to the entry or exit of the bird, a specific message is sent to the fortuneteller. By specifying certain parts of the sky to convey certain information, you can read the flight patterns of birds in this way. Four directions (north, south, east, and west) play a key role. Depending on the direction the bird is flying, it will tell certain things. In ordinary days, the birds going south to spend the winter obviously go somewhere to keep warm. This can also be explained in your own way, mentally as well. The South represents passion, fire, power, etc.
Press shape.
Except where the birds fly, observe how they fly. This means any shape formed during flight, such as circular flight, V-shaped flight, uniform flight, spiral flight, etc. What each shape and symbol means; your information is based on intuition, but it is also based on your understanding of symbols. For example, if a murdered crow flies north and forms a spiral pattern in the air, this may be a message of spiritual death and rebirth (spiral and north = symbol of death/rebirth cycle). Crows are messengers of spiritual mystery and encourage people to think deeply and reflect on spirituality. They are also considered to be spiritual glitz.
3/Use intuition to judge divination
When interpreting bird behavior and flight patterns, there is usually no intermittent information. A large part of divination is the use of intuition. This may be a flashing mental image or a complete vision. It may be that the bird's call reminds you of a word. Maybe a specific bird reminds you of a specific person. Learning how to use intuition will help you succeed in divination. Then apply these divination principles to other forms of divination.
HAVE FUN!
Divination requires observation, intuition and symbolic knowledge. Mixing these three together is the secret of success. Try these same concepts when reading other things in nature: clouds, animals, trees/plants, etc. You will find that you can read many things in nature, otherwise others might never think of using them. have fun. Write down your experience. Always remember-the future is not static, but sometimes we will get a message that if we make certain decisions, our future may develop in one direction. However, we have created our own destiny.
If you fill the feeder, they will come.
Well, sometimes it works that way and sometimes it doesn’t. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned bird watcher, you’re likely to encounter some of these common problems at your bird feeder.
The problem: No birds are visiting your feeder.
Potential reasons: There are a few reasons birds may not be visiting your feeder. If you recently put a feeder out or moved one that was previously established to a new location, it’s possible that the birds haven’t found it yet. If that’s not the case, your feeder may be filled with a bad supply of seed, there might be an abundance of natural food nearby, bird numbers in your area could be low or maybe you’re just not looking for your feathered friends at the right time of day.
New feeders. If you recently established a new feeding site, you can make your feeding site more visible by scattering seed around your feeder.
Bad seed supply. Moldy seed or seed that’s been infested with insects can be a potential problem for seed that’s been sitting for a long time. If you suspect this is the case in your feeder, dump out the seed, clean your feeder and refill it with a new batch of seed.
Abundant natural foods. When natural foods are abundant — summer, fall and early winter — birds are not as attracted to feeders. All you can do wait these periods out. The birds will return when naturally occurring seeds and berries are less abundant.
Diminished bird populations. There may not be birds in your local area for a reason unrelated to bird feeding. You can confirm this theory by talking to others in your area to see if they are seeing many birds.
Timing. Birds visit feeders most often in the early morning and at dusk. If you’re only checking your feeder in the middle of the day, you might just be missing the birds that visit.
The problem: Birds are visiting your feeder, but not all of them are healthy. When a sick bird visits your feeder, it can become a catalyst for spreading disease. You can reduce the risk of spreading disease by:
The problem: Birds are visiting and a nearby predator is taking advantage of it. Bird feeders essentially create a concentration of food, not just for the songbirds you want to attract, but for the animals who like to eat them too. Depending on the type of predator there are a few things you can do to protect your songbirds:
Flying predators. Sometimes songbirds at feeders are preyed on by hawks and other raptors. In this situation, the best way to protect them is by providing cover near your feeder to give the smaller birds a place to hide.
Ground predators. While raptors may prey on your song birds from the sky, cats and other predators may see an opportunity from the opposite vantage point. In this situation, moving your feeder to make it more difficult for cats and other predators to surprise the birds is the best course of action. Position it away from cover such as low shrubs and tree branches where predators may hide. You might also consider surrounding your feeder with chicken wire fencing to protect birds feeding at and below your feeder.
Predators that stalk your feeder. If you’ve already tried moving your feeder to a safer location, but it’s not deterring the predator from hanging out, take your feeder down for a couple of days until it decides to look elsewhere for food.
The problem: It’s difficult to attract birds to a feeder and not squirrels. As it turns out, they like the same foods. There are things you can try to keep them away from your feeder, but there’s no guarantee of success. Squirrels are hard to outsmart.
Squirrel-proof feeders. I have a squirrel-proof feeder and it works very well. It’s spring loaded and when there’s too much weight on the perches, the springs uncoil and the feeding holes are covered. However, because squirrels are crafty and persistent, they have started to bend back the metal leaves that cover the feeding holes. It works just fine for now, but it will probably need replaced at the end of the season. It’s taken a beating.
Baffle. You could try putting a baffle — a bowl- or umbrella-shaped plastic or metal barrier — on the shepherd’s hook or pole your feeder is hanging from. The idea is to block squirrels from climbing past it, but they often do.
Feed squirrels separately. You could try offering squirrels dried ears of corn, peanuts, or cracked corn at a location away from your feeder. This allows them to enjoy a free meal while keeping them away from the more expensive sunflower seed in your feeder. But who knows, they might finish their meal and resume their assault on your feeder.
Smart bird feeder. Fortunately, we installed a buzzer for the newly designed smart bird feeder to drive them away. You only need to control it through the app after receiving the warning of squirrel infestation.
The problem: Sometimes birds will mistake large windows that reflect the outdoors for an opening. Not realizing there’s an obstruction, they will hit the window at high speeds and usually die instantly.
Feeder placement. You can minimize window crashes by placing feeders within three feet of windows. Generally, birds will slow down to land on the feeder and when they take off again, they won’t have enough speed to hit the window with much impact. This also gives them an opportunity to realize the window is a barrier and not an opening as they are feeding right next to it.
Netting. You could also try purchasing bird netting to put over the window. The netting will catch any birds that mistake the window for an opening and you’ll still be able to see out of it.
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