Live Life Team
The activity of feeding wild birds is called bird feeding. According to James Fisher, it was the sixth century monk Saint Serf of Fife who first fed wild birds. In 1890-91, people were encouraged to put out food for birds. And, in 1910, the Punch magazine announced that feeding wild birds was a national pastime.
There are many forms of feeding birds. Different kinds of birds have different tastes for foods. Finches love Niger thistle seed and Jays love corn. On the other hand, hummingbirds love the taste of nectars. Most seed eating species favour the black oil sunflower seed.
In making a feeding station for birds, it is advisable to put it near a natural cover because many birds do not want to be exposed. Therefore, placing a bird feeding station by a window will magnetise only gregarious birds like sparrows and starlings. If a viewer wants to have a clear line of sight of the birds’ feeding station, it is better to position it near a tree or shrubbery. However, if it is too close to a shrub or tree, other animals like squirrels may easily find access to the station. It will take some days or weeks for birds to discover the feeding station. This is true if the station is the first one to be made in an area or if the station is established in spring when natural sources of food are abundant.
Furthermore, people who feed birds must ensure that there is enough water in the feeding station. It is believed that a bird bath can draw many birds in a feeding station.
