Today Special : Feed the Birds Day
Feed the Birds Day is celebrated on February 3 every year and is part of the celebrations of National Bird-Feeding Month. Feeding the Birds Day is celebrated to bring attention to the extra help birds need right before spring, when their winter stores of food start running out.
This day is also a great day to think about the kind of food birds like to eat and make sure that your bird feeders are set up to help out the birds that visit your backyard with the best food. The day also offers a great opportunity to learn about wild birds and their needs.
HISTORY OF FEED THE BIRDS DAY
Feed the Birds Day first occurred in 1994 to encourage people to feed birds in winter. Celebrated in February as part of National Bird-Feeding Month, this day is celebrated during the coldest part of the year when the snow is thick and food scarce.
February is also the last stretch of winter, which is when bird’s food reserves run low, and finding more becomes incredibly difficult. This is a dangerous time for birds because they need the extra calories that they get from food to keep themselves warm but don’t have the energy to go out looking for it. Most of the seeds they eat will be buried under the snow where they can’t get to it.
Feed the Birds Day is also a day celebrated to spread information about what birds eat so that they receive exactly the kind of food they need to survive. Rather than bread, which most people think is a good food source, birds need seed blends that are denser in calories and help them generate the energy they need to fly and stay warm.
Nutrient-rich seeds include black-oil sunflower, nyjer (or thistle seed,) white proso millet, and sunflower chips. A seed to avoid is the red milo seed (sorghum,) which birds won’t even eat if blended with other seeds.
Once birds learn that they can get a steady source of food, they will rely on it, so it’s important to stay consistent with the feeding.
Besides food, people are also encouraged to set up heated bird watering stations so that birds have easy access to water in a safe space.
HOW TO OBSERVE FEED THE BIRDS DAY
- Set up a feeder : Take note of the birds that visit your backyard, do a little research on what they eat, and set up a feeder for them with all their favorite foods. This exercise will also attract more birdlife to your garden.
- Spend some time bird watching : If you already have a feeder, winter is the best time to watch the birds enjoy the food you’ve provided for them. One of the reasons why bird-watching is so popular is because of its calming effects.
- Take up nature journaling : All you need is a notebook and pen to sit down and make notes of the different kinds of birds you see and their behaviors while they peck away at the feeder. You can also try your hand at art by sketching what you see and using colored pencils to create memorable drawings.
5 FACTS ABOUT BIRDS AND FEEDING
- Birds are equipped to survive the winter : Their feathers keep them warm and most of the time, they’re able to find the food they need to survive.
- Heated bird baths are just as vital : Finding water in the winter is as challenging as finding food during the winter for birds because low temperatures cause what water there is to freeze.
- Birds become reliant on feeders : Once birds become accustomed to finding food in a safe space, they will always look for food there, so consistently filling up their feeders can become key to their survival.
- There are special feeders for specific birds : For people who want to attract specific species to their backyards, there are custom-made feeders for woodpeckers and hummingbirds to meet their needs.
- There’s a theme for bird-feeding : Every year, the theme for Feed the Birds Day and National Bird-Feeding Month changes to reflect what the National Bird Feeding Society wants to focus on.
WHY FEED THE BIRDS DAY IS IMPORTANT
- We want to help birds survive : Birds bring color and company to our lives. So, to have more birds survive the winter, we may need to give them a little help.
- It’s an opportunity to feed birds right : Feed the Birds Day is a way of spreading information about the kind of foods that are beneficial to birds. By feeding them with the right types of seed, we help ensure their longevity.
- We want to learn more about birds : Feed the Birds Day is a great way of raising awareness around the challenges to the conservation of birds. The more knowledge we have, the more we’re able to create an environment in which they can thrive.
