As we learn more and more about bird populations around the world, we are unfortunately finding that many bird species are showing downward trends. With suburban sprawl crowding the land that once belonged to the birds and breeding habitat becoming fragmented, now, more than ever, the birds in your backyard could use fostering. Not only will you receive hours of enjoyment watching the comings and goings at your windowsill feeder or patio birdbath, but you'll also be providing a valuable service for our feathered friends. Filled with full-color photographs, Backyard Birds is a complete guide to creating the perfect viewing arena for bird enthusiasts while providing nutrition and a welcoming environment for the birds.
In Backyard Birds, you'll learn about bird fostering, a term that refers to the general enrichment of local habitat for the birds and includes bird feeding, bud gardening, and maintaining birdhouses. Then, chapter by chapter, you will discover how to create a bird-friendly environment whether you live in the country, suburbs, or city. Start planning your feeding area as you read about the seven varieties of feeders available (and which species they attract). Then learn where to place your different feeders to best facilitate bird watching while protecting the birds from cold winds and predators. Try setting up a birdbath (making sure that it's not too deep because most land birds are afraid of deep water). Discover the nutritional value of different seeds, and learn how to mix a birdseed that will attract the species you most want to view. Handy lists of suppliers for birdbaths, birdseed, and birdhouses are included. Information is also given on how to plant your yard so that it will provide birds with nutritious, natural food year-round, create a suitable habitat for nesting, and provide cover to escape predators. In addition, find out the golden rules for squirrel deterrence as well as solutions for other common problems that can arise during the course of bird fostering.
A comprehensive volume, Backyard Birds also devotes a chapter to outlining the North American bird-feeding year. Learn the individual feeding habitats of numerous species and find out which birds you can expect to see during each month of the year. This helpful chapter also reveals how the bird calls and songs of a specific species can vary from season to season.
Even if you've been fostering wild birds for years, Backyards Birds offers some new and challenging diversions for the bird-fostering elite. It may be just the time to put some spice into your hobby. Explore the possibilities that bird fostering has to offer by learning such exciting techniques as feeding wild birds by hand.
Backyard Birds provides a wealth of information that will make your bird watching a more fulfilling experience. Knowing that you're helping to maintain your own local bird population makes this hobby even more enjoyable. You'll want to have Backyard Birds by your side as you transform your yard into a haven for the birds.
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