If you take a few simple steps to attract them, you can enjoy hummers in your own backyard.

(ARA) - If the birding world had a rock star, it would be the hummingbird. Swift, tiny, secretive and simply amazing to watch, “hummers” are so hard to spot that catching a glimpse of one can be a summer experience you’ll long remember. But you don’t have to be an avid birder to be thrilled by the sight of a hummingbird.

Hummingbirds can be found across the country, with ruby-throated hummingbirds common east of the Rocky Mountains and a dozen or more species common in western regions. To maximize your chances of seeing a hummingbird this summer, take a few simple steps to attract them to your backyard, where you can enjoy them at your leisure.

Hummingbirds travel a long distance from their tropical winter retreats in Central and South America. Like all wild birds, hummers have three basic requirements to make a place their home – access to food, water and a good nesting spot.

Offering nectar-rich flowers and feeders is a good start. But you also need suitable habitat that provides sheltered perches and good nesting places, encouraging females to raise their young.

Research shows that these tiny birds have a remarkable memory and frequently return to the same hospitable sites on the same day of each year. If you feed consistently, you may have return visitors, especially during spring and fall migrations. If you can get them to nest nearby, too, you’ll have fledglings who also may remember your address in years to come.

You can help hummers build their homes with a new nesting material that's endorsed by the Hummingbird Society.

Female hummers typically settle in deciduous trees over a clearing or stream. They fashion their nests from sticky spider webbing, using lichen to camouflage the exterior and soft plant fibers to cushion the interior. It’s probably not practical for the average hummingbird fan to stock spider webs and lichens in their yard. But there is a man-made alternative.

Hummer Helper is the first commercially available product that has proven appealing to hummingbirds. Introduced by Songbird Essentials, the all-natural material (specially processed with oil left in) is contained in a wire frame painted red to attract a hummingbird’s eye.

The product is endorsed by the Hummingbird Society (hummingbirdsociety.org), an Arizona-based advocacy group. In the March 2009 edition of the society’s journal, Executive Director Ross Hawkins reported watching females at work gathering the material. “We recommend ‘Hummer Helper,’” he wrote. “It has the potential to help bring in more hummers, close by where you can observe them, and to increase the odds that they will nest near you.”

To start attracting hummers, hang a small feeder. Nectar mixes are available, but it’s easy to make your own. Use four parts tap water to one part ordinary table sugar, heated until dissolved. Red coloring isn’t necessary.

Increase the visibility of new feeders by hanging red ribbons nearby. The hummingbird’s high metabolism drives it to feed about every 10 minutes, and it examines every square yard in its range for food, experts say.

Keeping the feeder clean and the nectar refreshed is critical. Spoiled solutions can turn to alcohol and support mold, both harmful to the tiny birds. In cool weather, fluid can be left for five to seven days, but during hot spells it should be replaced every two days.

For easy cleaning, pick up a specialized brush like Songbird’s “Best Hummer Brush.” Don’t use soap or detergents, which can be hard to rinse thoroughly. A solution of ordinary white vinegar is a good non-toxic cleaner.

Two other handy accessories are a water-filled nectar protector ant moat, hung above feeders to keep ants at bay, and an overhead protector like Songbird’s Hummer Helmet to keep rain water from diluting nectar solutions. While its shade helps keep nectar fresh longer, the red color acts as a big red “Food Here” sign. Songbird products are sold through outlets catering to birders. The Web site www.songbirdessentials.com includes a “Retail Finder” directing customers to nearby locations.

To learn more about hummingbird research, visit the Hummer Bird Study Group at hummingbirdsplus.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Pick a Feeder, Any Feeder

Backyard bird feeding is an easy way to enjoy wildlife up close and personal. Feeders, and the beautiful birds that perch upon them, can brighten up any garden or yard. More important, however, is that bird feeding is very beneficial to the outdoor pets we adore so much.

There are many types of birds that have become well-adapted to taking advantage of bird feeders. In fact, according to the National Audubon Society, more than 100 species supplement their natural diets with birdseed, suet, fruit and nectar obtained from feeders. Plus, many are so widespread in their range that they’ll feast almost anywhere in the United States, from California to New York.

To accommodate this wide variety of birds, there is a wide variety of feeders: hopper feeders, tube feeders, platform feeders, suet feeders — the list goes on and on. Choosing a feeder is ultimately a matter of satisfying the specific preferences of the birds you want to attract. In other words, the birds you desire to feed will determine the type of food you put out. The food, in turn, helps to determine which feeder you should use.

For example, desirable birds like cardinals, woodpeckers and chickadees are attracted to feeders filled with premium seeds and real fruit. Foods like Wild Delight Less Mess Cardinal Food work great for attracting these birds because they’re made with real raisins, cranberries and cherries that sought-after birds love. As a result, feeders that accommodate large fruit pieces and seeds are necessary to attract these types of birds.

Pick a Feeder, Any Feeder

Some feeders work well for a number of different types of food. Hopper feeders and platform feeders are big and bird-friendly. They can hold almost any size seed and a lot of it, so they have to be refilled less often. Large fruit pieces and nuts, like those found in Wild Delight Less Mess Fruit & Berry, can easily be accessed from either of these feeders.

Tube feeders are extremely popular and come with feeding ports (the holes where the birds access the food) of varying sizes in order to accommodate different types of food. A tube feeder with large holes will let sunflower seeds and fruit pieces through, while others with small holes should be used for small seeds like Nyjer. Tube feeders are ideal for smaller birds like finches and pine siskins because they have small perches that large perching birds like starlings can’t grip.

Suet feeders, which are wire cages specifically made to hold suet, are an excellent way to offer your outdoor pets a variety of dining options. Suet is the hard, white fat on the kidneys and loins of cattle and other animals, and is a favorite of many birds. Some suet products, like Wild Delight Deck, Porch N’ Patio Suet, are even mixed with nuts like pistachios. If it were up to the birds, they would take the entire piece of suet away with them. Thankfully, the suet feeder cage design only allows small chunks to be eaten at a time, which means that desirable birds such as woodpeckers and nuthatches visit more often — so you get more time to enjoy watching them.

Yet another type of feeder is the mesh feeder. This kind of feeder is used for dispensing larger seeds such as black oil sunflower seeds. Mesh feeders, somewhat similar to tube feeders, are meant to attract birds that cling because other birds cannot perch on them. This helps to keep starlings and other nuisance birds away. More significant is that they’re designed to resist squirrel damage. Squirrels can use these feeders, but will be frustrated because they can only pick one seed at a time.

Very similar to the mesh feeders are finch sock feeders, which are mesh bags that allow finches to cling to them and discourage other birds from stealing seed. Products like the Wild Delight Finch Sock Feeder come already stocked with premium Nyjer seed, creating a convenient, all-in-one feed and feeder combination.

There are a number of helpful resources today that can help you pick out the appropriate types of food needed to attract desirable birds, and the feeders that suit them best. In fact, Web sites such as www.WildDelight.com are becoming a popular reference point for outdoor pet lovers.

Finally, remember that no matter what feeder appears to best suit a particular situation or yard, the key is really the type of food you put in it. Want better birds? Feed them premium food. Want to make it easy for birds to eat the premium food? Make sure you put it in the right type of feeder. With all the different types and styles of feeders available today, there have never been more opportunities to enjoy outdoor pets and the entertaining hobby of backyard bird feeding.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

The feed you put out in the fall will let birds know they’ll be welcomed and fed in your back yard when serious cold weather arrives.

Humans aren’t the only ones who look forward to the autumn harvest. Fall brings a bounty of natural foods for our feathered friends, too. But while they’re feasting on fall’s cornucopia of delicacies, birds are also planning ahead, taking note of yards with bird feeders that can help them weather winter’s cold.

Many of birds’ favorite foods are actually more abundant in the fall. Summer weeds ripen with seeds by October. Many berries only begin to emerge in late summer or early winter, and insects are plentiful. You may think there’s no need to feed your feathered friends during the fall, but if you want them to find your home in the winter, start feeding them in autumn.

The birds who visit feeders in the fall are scouting, becoming familiar with feed stations and making decisions about which back yards they’ll visit this winter. The feed you put out in the fall will let birds know they’ll be welcomed and fed in your back yard when serious cold weather arrives – and they no longer have the luxury of exploring for food.

When the temperature dips below zero, easy meals at a feeder can mean the difference between life and death.

An important rule of fall and winter feeding is to be prepared. By stocking up now on premium bird seed, bird lovers can help secure a wholesome food source for birds without having to brave stormy weather.

It’s important to stock your feeder with high-quality foods that will provide birds with the most fat, nutrients and energy. Look for a feed like Cole’s that packs nutrition, preserves freshness and gives you the most feed for your dollar. Cole’s Oil Sunflower is more than 99 percent pure and cleaned four times to ensure there are more seeds and fewer sticks in each bag. The feed is also nitrogen-purge packaged, just like potato chips, to ensure freshness and insect-free feed.

In addition to seed, serve up some suet either by itself or mixed with seed. Cole’s Nutberry Suet is a seed blend mix of premium fruits, preferred nuts, nutritious insect suet kibbles, and whole kernel sunflower meats, which appeals to fruit and insect-loving songbirds. Or try Suet Pearls, which features sunflower seeds buried inside energy-rich suet. Suet Nuts is a nourishing blend of peanuts and berry suet that birds find delectable. These feed choices will provide fat and a high protein energy source to assist wild birds in weathering winter and may actually boost their chance of survival.

Just as birds need food year-round, they also look for water. This can be tricky in regions where water spends the winter as ice, but bird lovers can still help in a number of ways. Experts suggest leaving icicles on the eaves to provide a regular source of water for birds that will drink the drops as the icicles melt. Birds are drawn to running water sounds so spritzers or small fountains are also good. In the winter there are many quality bird bath heaters available to keep the water from freezing and they are more convenient than setting out water every day.

Don’t worry about the birds if you have to be gone from your home for a while in winter. Birds are used to having a food source disappear. It might take them a while to rediscover your yard when you return, but they’ll be back, grateful for your assistance.

For more ideas on how to help birds eat well through winter, and feed choices visit www.coleswildbird.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

What Are Nautical Bird Houses?

When the average person thinks of a bird house they generally have a mental picture of a simple homemade box like structure, crafted out of weathered scraps of lumber, and hanging on a crooked fence post next to an abandoned road. What the average person doesn’t realize is that the world is full of novelty bird houses that are anything but simple. There is a huge market for novelty bird houses, including nautical bird houses.

Some people might think that a nautical bird house is a bird house that is nailed to a telephone pole or cemented to a rock. They probably assume that a nautical bird house is one that is designed for nesting Sea Gulls and Pelicans. The truth is that the average Sea Gull or Pelican would never fit in a nautical bird house. Nautical bird houses are built with songbirds in mind. The nautical theme is hung on the bird houses because they are built to resemble a nautical theme. Most nautical bird houses are designed to look like light houses. Other novelty bird houses can look like quaint old stores, Victorian mansions, riverboats, diners, fire stations, and log cabins.

Building A Nautical Bird House

Unlike the plain bird house on the crooked fence post, most bird lovers aren’t able to build their own nautical bird house; the elaborate design is simply to complicated for someone who isn’t an accomplished carpenter. Most novelty bird houses are designed and built by professional woodworkers.

Mounting A Novelty Bird House

Although novelty bird houses are designed to be used by birds it isn’t unusual for someone to purchase one of the whimsical houses and never use it for birds. They place the novelty bird house in a prominent place in their home and use it as a conversation piece. If you choose to mount your novelty bird house outside and let a couple of songbirds move in, you need to properly mount the bird house. Make sure that your novelty bird house is mounted somewhere that cats and dogs won’t be able to disturb the nesting birds. When the birds have moved out you will need to make sure that the bird house is thoroughly cleaned. When not using the novelty bird house take the bird house down and store it inside.

Kids Will Love The Bird House Kit For Kids That You Create For Them

To begin, you will want to choose the wood for the bird houses. Once you have the wood, you will want to use a pencil and draw the outline of the pieces on the wood. Older kids will be able to use tools and saws under adult supervision to cut out the pieces. If the bird house kit for kids is for younger kids, then an adult will have to precut the pieces.

Next add some wood adhesive, some water proof nails and a hammer with the wood pieces and place them all into a box until the kids are ready to make the bird house. At this time, you may want to find or write out the instructions for making the bird house so that the kids can clearly understand them. Place the instructions with the other materials in the box.

Decide what color you would like to paint the bird house and go to purchase the paint. When you go to buy the paint, you will also want to buy enough paint brushes for all kids, paint thinner, and an outside, weather proof stain to put over the completed bird house. Include all of the painting supplies with the bird house kit for kids.

Don’t forget the materials that the kids will need to set up their bird house once they have built the actual house part. They will need something to hang the completed bird house from a tree or a pole to prop the bird house on. You can include hooks, chains or rope too, if you would like the bird house to be hung from a tree.

The Final Educational Touch

You can create a unique, one-of-a-kind bird house for kids kit by including some bird cards in the kit. These are cards you can actually create on your computer. Do some research on the most common birds seen in your backyard and then create some flash cards on each bird. Include a picture of the bird and some information about the bird. Your kids will love to match the flashcards with the actual birds that fly up to the birdhouse they built.

The Materials You’ll Need To Build A Bird House

One of the best things about learning how to build a bird house is that you don’t need a lot of tools, materials, or woodworking knowledge to make one. Building bird houses is an activity that your entire family can participate in.

The first thing you need to do when you are learning how to build a bird house is to gather the things you will need. The materials you’ll need will depend on what kind of bird house you want to learn how to build. It is possible to build a bird house out of a hollowed out piece of firewood, an empty coffee can, or a dried gourd.

The kind of bird house you’ll want to know how to build when you are learning how to build a bird house depends on what type of birds you want to house. Different species of birds require a different type of bird house. Bluebird houses need to be built in such a way that the bird’s predators won’t be able to take over the bird house. If you are setting up bird houses for the Northern Cardinal, the house needs to be spaced far enough apart so that the males won’t feel the need to constantly defend their territory.

Mounting Your Bird House

After you have learned how to build a bird house you will have to learn how to mount your homemade bird house. There are several things you have to think about when you are preparing to mount your bird house. The first thing you need to consider is that a bird is not going to want to nest in an area where it feels threatened. You will want to mount your bird house somewhere that your family pets and children won’t bother or disturb the bird house.

When you are mounting the bird house make sure that the house is securely mounted. Take a few extra minutes to drive a couple spare nails through the back of the bird house and into the tree or fence post you are attaching the bird house to.

A gazebo is a structure that most people admire in a large backyard or a local park.  A gazebo is usually trimmed with some intricate woodwork that looks great against the trees or sky in a beautiful backyard.  A gazebo often has sides that are made of stunning arches, and they make a fantastic place to visit in a park.  A gazebo bird house is usually a miniature of one of these structures designed to attract and house the birds in the region.  A gazebo is a miniature with the same intricate woodwork and arches where birds can take shelter and feed.

A Gazebo Bird House Adds Enchantment To A Yard

All bird houses attract our fine feathered friends if they are made of natural materials without harsh paints or chemical treatments, and a beautiful gazebo bird house looks great while attracting beautiful birds.  People who love projects can find some bird house kits that produce a gazebo bird house, and there are some gazebo bird houses that come already assembled.  Most of the gazebo bird houses have plenty of room for several birds to land and take nourishment.  Many of these attractive bird houses have a feeder to hold the seed that most birds love.

A gazebo bird house can usually be placed on a fence or placed on a post that comes with some of these beautiful bird houses.  The bird houses are usually easy to remove if in danger from inclement weather.  The gazebo bird houses that come with a single post for placement in the garden are sure to protect the birds and their food from pesky squirrels.  Most of these homes for birds come with the latest designs in bird feeders which are easy to remove and clean.

Bring your Bird Watching Habits Home with a Discount Bird House

If you already enjoy watching birds, why not install a bird house or two in your own yard?  By providing a place for birds to nest, you will encourage new and interesting types of birds to share your space with you.  You can watch them play, build nests, and raise families year after year.  For any bird lover, this is an essential part of the bird watching experience.

You can tailor your home bird watching experience by buying a bird house that attracts a specific type of bird.  While not all birds nest in bird houses, many enjoy having a special place to lay their eggs in each year.

There’s no need to spend a fortune on bird houses for your yard.  It’s easy to find a discount bird house for just about every type of bird and every bird watcher’s tastes.  Discount bird houses might be easiest to find online, where bird house dealers offer every type of bird house imaginable.

However, you can often find discount bird houses in retail stores at the end of the bird mating season.  If you are patient and don’t mind buying in the off-season, finding a discount bird house can be as simple as visiting your local home improvement store.

Another great resource for your discount bird house is garage sales and estate sales.  People often get rid of their bird houses when they are moving or when they remodel their outdoor spaces.  If you buy a used bird house, just be sure to check the inside for old nests or other unwelcome surprises before you get it home.

No matter where you find the perfect discount bird house, you can be assured that the addition of a bird house to your yard will bring you many hours of relaxing bird watching enjoyment.  You can look forward to sitting down with a mug of coffee on weekend mornings and watching the families of birds play and interact right in your own back yard.

Finding The Perfect Copper Roof Bird House

People are attracted to copper roof bird houses. The problem is that they are often surprised by the steep price tag that accompanies the adorable novelty bird houses. The good news is that you don’t have to blow your yearly budget just so you can provide your song birds with first class accommodations. You just have to be a clever shopper that is willing to be patient. The first thing you should do is be willing to compromise. If you are willing to accept a slightly different style of copper roof bird house, you can sometimes find a similar style for a more reasonable price.

The other trick to finding a reasonably priced copper roof bird house is to shop around. Look through catalogs, check out various websites, and online auction sites and see if you can’t find what you are looking for at a lower cost.

Caring For A Copper Roofed Bird House

Unless you are planning on displaying your copper roofed bird house in your own home, you will need to be prepared to take some additional steps to maintain the roof. One of the biggest problems with the copper roof bird houses is that the copper roof can corrode.

The good news is that there are some steps you can take that will help prevent the corrosion from starting. The best thing you can do to maintain the condition of your copper roof bird house is to place it somewhere that it won’t be exposed to an excess amount of rain and water. One of the worse things you can do is place the bird house in a place where it will be exposed to heavy amounts of water.

The roof isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when caring for your bird house. In addition to caring for the roof you will need to clean out the bird house every time the birds move out. Cleaning the bird house won’t just help extend the life of your bird house, it will also prevent the spreading of mites and other diseases. Every time you clean your copper roof bird house you should complete a careful examination of the bird house and make sure that the wood isn’t rotting.