Some of my fondest memories of my grandfather involved a not-so-silent war he was involved in for years. It was Grandpa and the birds versus the scavenging squirrels. My grandpa loved passively birdwatching, seeing who would flit up to the bird feeder throughout the year, noting all the different colors and sizes. The squirrels were constantly being thwarted, and then overcoming increasingly difficult obstacles.
The final battle involved a weight-sensitive bird perch. If a bird landed on the feeder, no problem. If a heavier squirrel hopped on there, it was given a high-speed carousel ride and tossed away from the seed. My grandpa really enjoyed watching that show on a daily basis.
February is National Bird Feeding Month, and it’s a good time of year to give our little winged buddies a helping hand. Those birds that don’t migrate south for the winter are likely cold and having a tough time finding food in places where snow cover piles up.
The Humane Society of the United States answers questions many may have about feeding birds on their website. They say “the general rule for feeding of any wild animal is: do not feed when it might cause harm. With birds, there are few situations in which we can imagine harm being caused, so we say, go ahead!”
Your local feed store often provides bird feeding mixes too, so if you haven’t thought about feeding our feathered friends before now, give a shot! And make sure to take pictures off all the lovely birds that come to visit.
