Let’s all thank the calendar makers that February is so short. In just a few weeks, winter will be over. Most birds will be happy it is over, too. The typical sparrow or cardinal that comes to a backyard feeder weighs about as much as a quarter. They spend virtually every waking moment looking for food (just like teenagers) and may consume 15% of their body weight on a cold winter’s night trying to stay warm.
February is “National Bird-Feeding Month” as noted by the National Bird-Feeding Society. If you are new to bird feeding or just want to learn more about feeding birds, you can go to the Society’s website for more information (www.birdfeeding.org). You will find several educational pamphlets to improve your wild bird feeding experience, including a list of the top 10 tips for a better bird feeding experience, a bird food preference chart, a bird feeder preference chart, brochures on keeping birds safe and a bird identification sheet.
