Bird Seed Feeders, What Bird Feed Should I Use?

Author: Lesley Sowers
Do you ever find it hard to choose the right bird seed feeders and then to image the number of bird feed to choose from. Are you overwhelmed with the choices of different foods available? The following will help eliminate those headaches.
One of the top seed preferences for common birds is Black Oil Sunflower. You ask what makes this feed so preferred. Well here are a few reasons why. The sunflower has a high meat to shell ratio and is small in size with thin shells which make it easy to handle and crack for the smaller birds. The sunflower seed provides the birds with energy and warmth especially during the cooler months. You will attract and enjoy watching finches, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, sparrows, titmice, jays and woodpeckers. This seed comes in the shell but as a precaution, you may want to get the seed that is hulled or chipped which will decrease the mess of the hulls that fall on the ground that can cause damage to your grass or plants.
Another top seed preference for common birds is suet. It is mostly made from animal fat. Suet comes in the form of suet seeds which can be offered to your birds year round with out any worry of becoming rancid. A straight form of suet is animal fat which is ideal for shady or warm to winter temperatures (below 70 degrees Fahrenheit). You can get this fat trimmed off of uncooked beef or bought from your butcher or grocer. Suet dough or cakes are excellent for sunny to hot weather and can be easy to use with little mess. Suet is a preferred seed for birds that are great insect eaters and can be less expensive than some other seeds. Some birds that especially enjoy suet similar to the sunflower are chickadees, nuthatches, jays, woodpeckers, and titmice.
Based upon what you just read, you have increased your knowledge of the most popular bird seed to attract the most colorful and common birds. You will be able to utilize one of these selections of bird feed to place in your bird seed feeders to enjoy hours of bird watching. These seeds can be used in feeders, tubes, and hoppers. So don't stress over trying to find that perfect seed. A good place to start is with the sunflower or suet, you won't be disappointed. Then you can try more specific feeds in your bird seed feeders if you choose.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/bird-watching-articles/bird-seed-feeders-what-bird-feed-should-i-use-5204579.html
About the Author
Lesley Sowers offers a great variety of bird houses and bird feeders for the bird watching enthusiast at BirdFeederMall. A wide range of bird houses and bird feeders await you! Come check out http://www.birdfeedermall.com/ to select from several hanging bird feeders.

Category › bird feed , bird seed feeders

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a member of the Picidae family, and is the largest common woodpecker of the eastern United States. It is found primarily in northeastern US and southern Canada, ranging as far south as Florida and as far west as Texas. Its common habitat is wooded areas, including suburban neighborhoods and parks. Red-Bellied Woodpeckers are very tolerant of humans, and are regular visitors to backyard garden feeders (especially during the winter), favoring sunflower seed, suet, and fruit. Red-Bellied Woodpeckers climb and "hitch" along branches and trunks of trees, picking at the bark.
Red-Bellied Woodpeckers have a very thick skull and strong neck that protects them from brain damage when they "drum" to attract mates, excavate nest cavities and forage for food. They are equipped with a unique tongue that can extend 2 inches beyond its beak, and is barbed and sticky to catch insects inside deep crevices, where they gather and store food.

Identification Facts

Head to Tail Length: about 9" - 10.5"
Distinctive Features: The Red-Bellied Woodpecker can easily be identified by its red crown and black-and-white striping on its back. Its name is derived from a subtle red patch on it's abdomen that is rarely seen. Adult Red-Bellied Woodpeckers' abdomen, chest and face are mainly grayish white.
Male & Female Characteristics: Males have a red crown running from their bill to their neck, where females have a red patch on the nape and another above the bill. Males have a bigger tongue than females.

Songs & Calls

Red-bellied woodpeckers are highly vocal and noisy birds. Their calls sound like churr-churr-churr or with an alternating brr sound. Both sexes are vocal, but males call and drum more often than females. Male woodpeckers drum their beaks to attract females in the spring, sometimes pounding on metal siding and even cars to create a resonating sound.

Nesting Behavior

Distribution: The red-bellied woodpecker can be found in most of the eastern United States, except for northernmost New England.
Nest Type: Cavity

Breeding Season: The breeding season lasts from late January to late June
Migration: During severe winters, Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been observed migrating south from northern areas to escape extreme weather.
Nest Facts: Red-bellied Woodpeckers are cavity nesters. The male carves and excavates a new cavity in a dead tree or sometimes a live tree in 7-10 days. Three to six eggs are incubated by both the male and female. The male incubates at night, the female during the day. Chicks hatch in about 12 days, and fledge in 22-27 days. Both parents care for the young.
In some areas, many Red-bellied Woodpecker nesting cavities are taken over by starlings. Red-bellied woodpeckers will occasionally use bird houses.
Recommended Bird House: Audubon Woodpecker Bird House

Diet

Red-bellied woodpeckers eat mostly nuts and fruits, with seeds being their primary food source during the winter. They also eat berries, corn, acorns, beechnuts, tree sap, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, lizards, frogs, and some bird eggs and nestlings.
Commercially available food options include sunflower seed kernals, fruit and nut blends and suet.
Recommended Feeders: Clinger Feeder, Fruit Feeder, Suet Feeder and suet log feeders

Similar species

The Red-headed Woodpecker is a rather close relative but looks entirely different. The Gila Woodpecker has a darker brown head and abdomen, and lacks the red neck and spot above bill. The Golden-Fronted Woodpecker is also similar in coloration to the Red-Bellied Woodpecker.
Originally published at New England Birdhouse blog.

Category › backyard birding , bird feed , bird feeder , bird feeders , bird house , bird houses , Red-Bellied Woodpecker , woodpecker