Bird feeders

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sandj
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Bird feeders

I've noticed a couple of pictures on the forum of birds on feeders (including one of mine, I think), so just thought I'd ask what members thought about feeding birds in their back yards. Our feeder is actually 2 terracotta saucers hanging from a potplant hanger in a tree. It works well - out of reach of cats, but in reach of us. We put out wild bird mix a couple of times a week at most, and sometimes left over fruit, though that doesn't seem so popular. Every now and then some nectar for the lorikeets (not that they need any encouragement).

I know a lot of people don't like feeding birds. I don't believe in feeding them all the time as I wouldn't like them to become dependant on it. We were a bit worried about the bluefaced honeyeaters this year, as the parents were bringing their babies to eat the dry cat food on our verandah. I swear those birds will eat anything.

binjy
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:)

I provide water here..we are in a very dry zone.(rural)
The apostle birds and pigeons help themselves to poultry food..maggies and butcher birds stael the dog food, and I do hand feed a couple of kites.

I believe that feeding at a regular time is preferable...the birds know when to go look for themselves...whereas if food is supplied in a haphazard way..they hang around,"just in case" ?

When living in the city, I found sparrows took any seed offered :(

booshkie
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I'm personally against feeding birds by way of commercial products but all for planting a bird attracting-garden where the food supply is according to seasons/nature and not artificially enhanced.

---booshkie---

booshkie
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The Scribblygum wiki has more ideas about the pros and cons of feeding wildlife, especially birds:

http://www.scribblygumwiki.net/caring_feeding_wildlife#forumites_guide_to_attracting_wildlife

---booshkie---

serendipity
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Hi guys, I have several water features in my yard for the birds but I also have two seeds trays. One is right near my back door for the little birds (mainly the bloody sparrows) and I have one up the back for the bigger parrots that come such as the galahs, king parrots, crimson wings, rosellas, even the lorrikeets tuck in from time to time. I put larger seed in the one up the back (I live on a long 1/4 acre block) This is especially out in winter and weather permitting I have started to put some out again this summer. I stopped feeding the birds some 12 months ago but since I have done this they don't stop off at my place like they used to anymore. This is why I have started to feed them again.

[img]
I also have a pond in my garden that attracts the birds as they can see it from flying over. This is well stocked and kept fresh they often go swimming and drinking on the edges of the water fall
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2337/2167877750_fd34994469.jpg?v=0[/img]

serendipity
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sorry My photo didn't work lets see if this one does. I also have a pond in my garden the birds frequent especially on the waterfall where they sit and have a bath.

booshkie
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Great pond!

The birds must love your garden!

---booshkie---

serendipity
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So do I booshkie. But at the moment we are having so much rain I don't get to go out and photogragh many of the birs at the moment. Mind you it will do my garden good. I am just extending my gardent another 45feet long by 20feet wide (sorry no good in metres) I am planting it up with natives and a silky oak for the nector eating birds. I unfortunately have to cut down my gum tree as it has borers in it and made it very dangerous. Oh well I have to put another tree in. Someone said Lilly Pilly's are good for attracting birds.
Here is a little part of my garden, I have heaps of native plants and water everywhere.

sundog
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I started out feeding the local birds with bread crumbs and big handfuls of seed (as well as water). The yard filled up with domestic pigeons and the one of the Noisy Miner chicks got so fat it looked like a grey tennis-ball with wings.

I stopped feeding altogether for a while. The Noisy miner chick followed me around begging for a few weeks which made me feel awful. The pigeons stopped coming altogether.

Now I put out a tiny knob of bread broken into pieces in the morning and afternoon. It's not enough to be a full feed, especially for a domestic pigeon which only return when they are injured. It is enough to take the pressure of a mum feeding a nest full of really irritating little Noisy Miners.

I started putting out a commercial seed block a few weeks ago and have a few birds coming for that.

Avifaunae
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We do not provide bird feeders/water on our hectare property - as we are lucky enough to have a creek approximately 80 metres from the house - however the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos seem to prefer to use our swimming pool for their afternoon drink. Native (noisly) minors also use the swimming pool for bathing and over the years I have unfortunately had to rescue some Rosellas from it.

Our property is 99% native vegetation which provides a variety of food sources for a variety of species. We do not believe in providing feed for the birds as it changes their behaviour, increases over-breeding and if you are providing the wrong food source; produces sick, weak offspring that have little chance of full survival which over time can have a detrimental effect upon a species.

The best way to encourage birds is to plant appropriate native species suited to your area rather than leaving out feeders. :-)

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