February marks National Bird Feeding Month, and it’s hard to think of a better time to show some extra love to the songbirds that grace our feeders. First declared in 1994 by Congressman John Porter, National Bird Feeding Month originated as recognition that February is typically one of the most difficult months for wild birds in the U.S. As Porter noted in his speech, this is an opportunity to remind people that birds benefit, especially this time of year when you keep your feeders filled with nutritious, energy-dense seeds, nuts, and fruits.
This year, why not make a difference for your feathered friends during National Bird Feeding Month?
- Add something new to your backyard station. Give the birds something extra to help them get through the final weeks of winter. Try a new feeder or start setting out fresh water each morning. If you have a new birdhouse, go ahead and mount it now; it will give them a place to duck away from the wind and elements.
- Sign up for the Great Backyard Bird Count. Taking place this year from February 12th through February 15th, 2021, this event is fun and easy: all you need to do is observe birds in your yard for 15 minutes, and report the species and numbers you see with an easy online form. Organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other organizations, this data helps researchers better understand bird habitat. It’s citizen science at its finest!
- Give a feeder and wild bird seed to someone you love. Backyard birding is an easy and inexpensive hobby for all ages. Spread the love of backyard birding. Offer a tube feeder to a family with young children or a window feeder to the urban apartment dweller in your life. Have them try a mess-free blend, such as Lyric Delite Mix, which has all the nuggets they love without fillers and other waste.
While our hobby helps songbirds, we humans also have something to gain. We get an up-close view of how birds behave and interact from the comfort of our kitchen table. All it takes is a good feeder filled with high-quality seeds.