Do you see birds where you live and wonder if you should feed them? This is a question that is going to attract a lot of different answers. On the one hand, a lot of people want to enjoy nature and see birds close up in their garden. But, other people know that there are going to be a lot of other negatives that come with regularly feeding birds at your home. So, let’s take a closer look and see what side of the debate you are on.
Why It Can Be A Bad Idea to Feed Birds
First of all, it is important to be aware of what can happen when you feed birds in your garden. Namely, you are going to have frequent visitors to your home. It is unlikely that birds will simply take food and not return. If they think that they are going to get a lot of food in a place, they will come back the next day.
So, you have to be aware that you are going to create a habit. In addition, it is likely that birds will make their home nearby. After all, they are going to treat your garden like a food source. This means that they might roost and nest on your property. We are talking about setting up camp on your home. Birds like to make nests in nooks, high spots and on windowsills. They are likely to do this to look out for food.
When birds make a nest on your property, this can be troublesome. It is very difficult to get rid of a nest when it is built. If you do not want this to happen, you need to avoid feeding birds in your garden. After all, bird guano can cause a lot of damage to your property. Not only can it look unsightly, but it can actually be acidic and damage the walls and roof of your home.
If you are starting to notice a bird problem occurring, you will need to stop feeding them. In addition, it is recommended that you choose an anti-bird solution from Apex Bird Control. This company has a variety of humane ways to keep birds away from your building.
Feeding Birds in Your Garden
If you really like nature, you may decide that you want to welcome bird into your garden. This might be something you want to do for your child or if you like to observe birds. Indeed, this is your choice and as long as you are aware of what can happen, you can make an informed decision about it.
In particular, if you decide you do want to feed the birds in your garden, the best time of the year to do this is actually going to be winter. This is a time of the year that birds have to work to find food. There is less lying around and the supply is low for wild birds. So, if you leave out found in the winter, you can help them. In particular, you should leave them out high-energy food, which is going to help them through the tough months of the year. Some good foods is seed mixes, dried mealworms an there are homemade foods you can leave out too.
This is not to say that you cannot feed birds at other times of the year. In particular, if you are wanting to observe them, you might decide to leave food out during the spring and summer months. For example, birds like to build their nests during the spring. So, they are going to want to feed their young. The food should be sources of protein for them, such as live mealworms. In addition, black sunflower seeds are good, as well as some oatmeal. Just avoid anything too big or hard that might mean the young can choke on them. Similar foods are going to be beneficial to leave out in the summer too.
A good tip for feeding birds is that you should watch how the food supply is doing. In other words, only put out more food if there is a demand for it. You do not want to leave food lying around as this is how it can begin to mould. It can also attract other animals that you do not want in your garden. Also, make sure that you do your research on what to feed birds. Things like bread are not good for them.
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