Backyard Bird Feeding
Backyard bird feeding is a convenient way to
enjoy wildlife. More than 65 million Americans of all ages watch, feed
and landscape for birds.
It doesn't matter where you live - in an
apartment, townhouse or single family dwelling, in the city, suburbs
or country. Just stand still and you'll hear them: wild birds. It is
hard to imagine life without them.
Bird watching is one of the fastest growing
forms of outdoor recreation in the country. Each year millions of
people discover for the first time the joys of birdwatching. It's easy
to understand why. Birds are fun to watch.
And you can watch them just about
everywhere.  The most convenient place to start is right in your own
backyard. All it takes to get their attention is food or water, a
place to build a nest and appropriate vegetation.
Getting Started
When you want to attract a particular bird
species and keep it coming back to your backyard, what you do will be
determined by where you live, and the time of year. For example, on
any winter day, you are likely to see a cardinal at a sunflower feeder
in Virginia, a goldfinch at a thistle feeder in Massachusetts and
hummingbirds at a nectar feeder in southern California.
A bird field identification book has pictures of
different birds and will help you find the names for the birds you're
likely to see and the time of year you're most likely to see them. So,
first determine what birds are likely to occur in your area.
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