Backyard Birding
Turn your backyard into a bird haven with tips on feeders, habitats, and attracting your favorite species.
Feeders and Food
Successful Winter (and Year-round) Backyard Bird Feeding
I’ve always been fascinated by birds, and my efforts to feed them is a win-win: They get to eat, and I get…
Essential Tips for Summer Bird Feeding
Bird feeding is a rewarding pursuit—for us and the birds!—that can be enjoyed year-round. Whether you’re offering sugar water to hummingbirds, suet…
How to Revive a Faded Hummingbird Feeder
Each spring when I pull my hummingbird feeders out of storage in anticipation of the hummingbirds’ return, the red parts of the…
Top 10 Weird Things to Feed Birds
A male Baltimore oriole visits a feeder offering grape jelly. Photo by Tammy Simmons. Sunflower seed may be the hamburger of the…
Hummingbird Feeding Tips
Ruby-throated hummingbird (male). Photo by Bill Thompson, III Find me a person who does not like hummingbirds. I’ll bet you can’t. Even…
Feeding Eggshells
The Shell Game One of the lesser-known ways to attract birds is by putting out eggshells. Female birds, drained of calcium by…
Tips for Better Bird Feeding
American goldfinches flock at backyard thistle feeders. Photo by Randall Sholten. Bird feeding provides enjoyment to millions of North Americans each year….
Top Four Foods to Attract and Feed Woodpeckers
Suet Suet is number one on most woodpeckers’ list of preferred foods offered by humans. Suet is dense, hard, white beef fat….
Backyard Tips: How to Make Your Own Hummingbird Nectar
Hungry hummingbirds sip at a backyard feeder. Photo by J. Quinn. ’Tis the season for hummingbirds! Hanging a hummingbird feeder in your…
DIY Projects
Build Your Own: Easy Platform Feeder
Attract Birds and Protect Seed With a Simple and Effective Feeder Design The more places birds can feed in your yard, the…
Do It Yourself: Bird Bath Heater
Keep your birdbath water warm all winter long When winter comes to our farm, the daily ritual of feeding our birds intensifies…
Build Your Own: Bird Bath Fountain
Birdbath and fountain: sound and motion make for special allure A home-made garden sculpture at a fraction of the retail cost. A…
Do-it-yourself Pipe House
A new use for PVC pipe! by A.J. Hamler, excerpted from the March/April 2011 issue of Bird Watcher’s Digest Many do-it-yourselfers use…
These Recipes Are for the Birds!
The holiday season means lots of different things, like Christmas Bird Counts, family gatherings, and food—lots of food! As you busily prepare…
Do It Yourself: Birdbath Tips
Easy Drippers We know that water in motion attracts birds, and I’ve discovered an inexpensive, easy way to add a dripper to…
Backyard Tips: How to Make Your Own Hummingbird Nectar
Hungry hummingbirds sip at a backyard feeder. Photo by J. Quinn. ’Tis the season for hummingbirds! Hanging a hummingbird feeder in your…
Do-It-Yourself Stovepipe Predator Baffle
Materials: Aluminum electrical conduit, ½-inch diameter, 5-foot length Iron rebar, ½-inch diameter, 5-foot length One hanger iron (two 7-inch strips attached with…
How To: Woodpecker Box
Build an Easy Box for Golden-fronted, Red-headed, and Hairy Woodpeckers Download detailed plans you can use to build your own woodpecker box….
Hummingbirds
An Introduction to Hummingbirds
General Info The hummingbird family, Trochilidae, occurs only in the Western Hemisphere, where it is second only to the tyrant flycatchers in…
Frequently Asked Questions About Hummingbird Feeders
Feeder Placement There are a few things to keep in mind when placing your feeders. First of all, the feeders need to…
Frequently Asked Questions about Hummingbirds
1. How I can estimate how many hummingbirds I feed each day? A: Hummingbird experts Nancy Newfield and Bob and Martha Sargent…
Hummingbird Resources
The Hummingbird Society – The Hummingbird Society is a nonprofit charitable organization that strives to teach about hummingbirds and works to prevent extinction…
How to Revive a Faded Hummingbird Feeder
Each spring when I pull my hummingbird feeders out of storage in anticipation of the hummingbirds’ return, the red parts of the…
General Hummingbird Feeding Rules
Where do I place my feeder? There are a few things to keep in mind when placing your feeders. First of all,…
How to Revive a Faded Hummingbird Feeder
Using a shockingly bright red nail polish, I carefully paint a red flower around the feeding hole, being sure to avoid the…
What do Hummingbirds Eat?
Introduction “What do hummingbirds eat?” is a question often asked of hummer enthusiasts. It’s a simple question, and you’d think the answer…
Myths About Hummingbirds
One of the most persistent myths in the world of birds is that hummingbirds migrate on the backs of larger, stronger birds. On…
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