#Coconut suet feeder how to#

#Coconut suet feeder how to#

Prevent avian illnesses by learning how to clean your feeders on a regular basis and consider creating a plan to deter larger predators from your feeders. When potentially altering any natural ecosystem, it is always best to do so responsibly. Read about how to promote a safe feeding environment for your local birds by visiting Cornell’s Project FeederWatch before setting up your bird feeder. You can also visit Cornell’s Project FeederWatch for useful information on which types of bird feeders and foods certain species are drawn to. Next, discover the type of food your species prefers and confirm whether their territory includes your location and during what times of year by visiting the online Audubon Guide to North American Birds. If your class wants to support the 12 families of birds that make up more than 90 percent of the declining North American bird population such as sparrows, finches, warblers, and blackbirds, find a local declining species you’d like to support here. Helpful Tips and Resources for Feeding the Birds Support Declining Species If you plan to try some of these feeders with children, take the necessary precautions, and consider using the following activities found in PLT’s Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide to help children look and listen for signs of birds, research their habitat needs, and develop a plan for attracting them to their backyard, schoolyard, or other outdoor setting: While there are concerns about using bird feeders, there are also many benefits! When children take responsibility for a bird feeder, it can help educate them about the wildlife in their community and foster an early appreciation for nature. If you plan to use a feeder with children, you should also be aware that bird and window collisions are more common near feeders-it’s best to place your feeder away from buildings to reduce this risk. While there are many benefits to bird feeding, there are also some risks to wildlife that we should all be aware of, such as an oversupply of food (which may cause birds to rely on artificial feeding and negatively impact their ability to find other food sources).īird feed may also favor invasive species such as European starlings and house sparrows, and feeders can inadvertently attract feral and outdoor cats (a leading cause of declining numbers of birds). This article covers 14 DIY bird feeder arts and crafts that will be sure to attract plenty of feathered friends for classroom excitement and observations. Especially in the winter months in colder climates, bird feeders provide an extra source of much-needed energy when food is scarce. Feeding wild birds in your area is not only helping your avian friends, but it can also be incredibly fun for your class to create and observe their handiwork in action. But the population of wild birds across the Northern Hemisphere has declined by 29% over 50 years, and they could use some help. Birds are incredible animals vital to local ecosystems.