Contents:
- When to feed the birds
- What to feed with?
- How to make a wreath with fat, seeds and fruit?
- When to stop feeding?
When to feed the birds
In autumn, the prepared and collected bird treats should be properly grouped and placed in the feeders. We should sprinkle food in the first stages of frost, as soon as the first snow appears.
Keep in mind that if you start feeding the birds, they will get used to the place we have chosen - it means that they will successively arrive in the hope of finding food.Do not change the place too often - only if it will be difficult to see for more visitors.
Make sure it is placed high enough. Choose single stakes or trees and limbs with difficult access for cats and other predatory animals. When making a feeder, make sure that several birds can feed at the same time.
What to feed with?
The most important type of food will be the combination of oilseeds and grains. Depending on what birds winter in the vicinity of our gardens and what species we want to attract, we must take into account their preferences.
It is important that whatever other factors,do not feed the birds with bread . The ingredients it contains may contribute to the development of diseases:
- acidosis- occurs when there is too much acid in the body. This leads to osteoporosis, arthrosis or diabetes in birds,
- diarrhea- destroy the bird's delicate digestive system,
- kidney damage- abnormalities in their functioning affect other organs,
- of the angel wing band- consists in the curvature of the wings, which with time more and more protrude from the body. In the initial phase, young animals may be tempted to undergo treatment and correction, while in adults it is an irreversible change.
Choose only:
- compositions of well-dried seeds free of mold: pumpkin, sunflower, cucumber, poppy, wheat, millet and oats - bullfinches and sparrows will not despise them,
- dried or fresh fruits - rowan, rose, juniper, elderberry - for waxwing and woodpeckers,
- pieces of fat - choose thin slices of lard or melted with pieces of fruit and seeds - this is a treat for tits
How to make a wreath with fat, seeds and fruit?
If you are looking for an idea for an extraordinary culinary gift for wintering birds, put on a fat wreath with grains. It's a great idea if you don't have and plan to prepare a bird house / feeder.
You will need:
- half a kilo of pork fat,
- cereal grains,
- sunflower seeds,
- pumpkin seeds,
- dried cranberries without sugar,
- dried or fresh chokeberry,
- pot,
- cake mold as for a cake.
Preparation:
- Lard cut into smaller pieces and put into the pot. Melt over low heat, stirring occasionally, without burning it.
- Mix sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and grains. Add pieces of cranberry and chokeberry.
- Combine all ingredients and pour into a non-stick mold. Leave to cool and refrigerate for a few hours.
- After this time, tie it with a thick ribbon and tie it on a selected tree. Birds will easily stick to the base of the wreath.
When to stop feeding?
Add seeds and other ingredients regularly until the snow melts and the first signs of spring appear. Change food as often as possible to avoid mold and disease development.
Once warm, remove the food from the feeders or remove them completely. Encourage the birds to gradually look for food in addition to the alternative available all winter.
Remember to restore the feeder next season - the animals get used to the place they remember.
