As someone who’s spent over six decades watching the feathered visitors in my backyard, I’ve learned a thing or two about our avian friends. Today’s kids spend too much time looking at screens and not enough time observing nature.
The Camera Feeder We Use In Our Own Backyard
See Today's PriceHere’s what I believe every grandchild should know about the fascinating world of backyard birds.
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1. Not All Birds Eat the Same Things
It is always important to remember that different birds will have different nutritional needs and different diets. Some birds will eat seeds, some will eat nectar or sugar-water solution, some will eat fruits, berries, and jellies, and many will eat insects.
Many birds will eat a combination of the above, while some eat a much more limited diet. Bird diets vary from species to species, so it’s not like all birds need the exact same diet.
A meat-eating bird of prey, like a hawk or eagle, won’t eat cantaloupe because that’s not going to meet its dietary needs.
2. Birds Are Nature's Alarm Clock
When you hear the dawn chorus, the symphony of bird sounds occurring every morning, most of the birds you hear are males demonstrating what excellent mates they would be. A weak, sickly bird cannot sing a robust, attractive song, so males show off how strong and vocal they are.
But it can be difficult to know which birds you hear in the morning. That’s why we’re taking a look at some of the birds you’re most likely to hear at sunrise, to help you identify who’s singing your favorite tune.
This list will include birds from all over North America and beyond. So, pay attention to which on the list live in your geographic area before trying to identify them.
3. Water Is Just as Important as Food
Of course, birds need water to drink, and for bathing. But many birds are also attracted to water due to the insect life it attracts.
And many species will also be drawn to a space by the sounds of running or moving water. Good news: most water sources are attractive to birds!
I’ve even enjoyed seeing birds bathing and drinking from an old sandbox after the rain. If you put out water for birds, you’ll likely see at least a moderate increase in your backyard bird activity.
4. Some Birds Are Year-Round Residents
Most of your favorite birds are easier to find during spring and summer, but some of them are year-round residents, so you can also enjoy their presence in winter. There are no birds that come to West Virginia specifically for the winter.
However, you will see the Carolina Wren and Winter Wren in the wintertime, as they are year-round residents.
5. Birds Have Amazing Memory
One of the most amazing things about hummingbirds is their incredible memory. These tiny birds can remember every flower they visit and where it is located.
A typical hummingbird will visit around 1,500 flowers per day to consume up to two-thirds of its body weight in nectar it needs because of its rapid metabolism. Great-tailed grackles have a keen memory and often have been known to remember and recognize the faces of individual researchers.
When a researcher working in their breeding colony is present, they react with a chut alarm call when they see them!
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6. Native Plants Are Bird Magnets
Native species support dramatically more species of caterpillars and insects than non-native species, providing the foundation for a strong backyard ecosystem. This means that birdwatchers with native backyard plants are likely to support more birds than non-native plants.
The importance of native plants cannot be understated, as they are key to the biodiversity of their entire ecosystem. Native plants are the foundation of the food chain – insects and spiders eat plants, and birds eat bugs.
7. Birds Help Our Gardens Grow
Birds offer a range of natural ecosystem services that help us work with nature to grow in our gardens. They bring fertility and add this to the soil.
They can help to spread seeds. They can eat insect pests etc., and help in organic pest control.
Some aid in pollination. Birds help us in a range of ways in our gardens, like eating harmful insects that like to ravage our harvest, as well as providing melodies and an attractive view.
8. Each Bird Has a Special Role
Different birds serve different purposes in nature. Woodpeckers create homes for other cavity-nesting birds, hummingbirds pollinate flowers, and hawks help control rodent populations.
Understanding these roles helps us appreciate the importance of biodiversity.
9. Bird Songs Have Meaning
Birds use songs and calls to communicate with each other, and each species has its own unique vocalizations. Learning the songs and calls of common backyard birds can be a helpful way to identify them when you’re out birdwatching.
Bewick’s Wrens are known for having many different songs. Only the male sings, both to defend his territory and to attract a mate.
He will sing between 9 and 22 different songs that are made up of trills, warbles, and buzzing sounds. Their songs only last for 2 seconds.
10. Seasonal Changes Affect Bird Behavior
The other thing I would suggest is looking around to see if there have been any changes to the area around you. Construction or even different weather patterns can cause birds to change their behavior.
Changes in insect behavior can also cause hummingbirds to change their migratory patterns. That is because they are dependent on insects for a significant part of their diet.
Anything that affects large numbers of insects can also affect hummingbird behavior.
11. Birds Need Safe Spaces
Don’t put the feeder too low to the ground. If your window-mounted feeder is close to the ground, the birds may not feel safe because they are at risk of being stalked and attacked by your pets, or by other pets in your neighborhood.
As with most other feeders, you should hang your window feeder at least 5-6 feet above the ground. Just make sure that the feeders are not in the way of human uses of the spaces, that no one will bump into them, and that the area will not be too busy or noisy for the birds to feel safe.
12. Nesting Is a Crucial Time
Field sparrows build their nests on the ground from grass, and as with other ground-nesting birds, their young need to fledge as quickly as possible to avoid predation. For the field sparrow, this “as quick as possible” can mean less than a week!
13. Clean Feeders Save Bird Lives
Bird feeders are also a common place where diseases spread, so it’s important to clean your bird feeders regularly. According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, diseases like salmonellosis, trichomoniasis, pigeon paramyxovirus, and avian pox can often be spread at feeders.
When we decide to start feeding the birds in our backyard, we are taking on the responsibility of being a safe food source. When it comes to bird feeders, a dirty bird feeder is an unsafe feeder!
14. Every Bird Is Special
Each bird species has unique characteristics and behaviors that make it special. From the tiny hummingbird’s ability to hover to the blue jay’s intelligence in hiding food, these differences teach us about nature’s diversity.
Learning to appreciate these differences helps children develop respect for all living things.
15. Birds Connect Us to Nature
Welcome to the wonderful world of birding! Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just starting out, there’s no doubt that birding can be an incredibly rewarding hobby.
Not only is it a great way to connect with nature, but it can also be a fun and challenging puzzle to solve. For instance, some people may not be physically able to go out into nature to observe birds, but they may regularly watch birds that visit their outdoor space with much relish.
Backyard bird facts worth passing on
| Spec | What our writers say |
|---|---|
| Diets | Some birds eat seeds, some nectar or sugar-water, some fruits, berries, and jellies, and many eat insects |
| Hawks and fruit | A hawk or eagle will not eat cantaloupe because it does not meet its dietary needs |
| Dawn chorus | Most of the birds you hear are males showing they would make excellent mates |
| Water | Birds need water to drink and for bathing, and many are also drawn by insects and moving water |
| Year-round wrens | Carolina Wren and Winter Wren are year-round residents you will see in West Virginia winters |
| Flower memory | A typical hummingbird visits around 1,500 flowers a day and can remember every flower |
| Face memory | Great-tailed grackles have been known to recognize individual researchers |
| Native plants | Birdwatchers with native backyard plants are likely to support more birds than non-native plants |
| Garden jobs | Birds add fertility, spread seeds, eat insect pests, and some aid in pollination |
| Songs | Each species has its own unique vocalizations |
| Safe feeder height | Hang a window feeder at least 5-6 feet above the ground |
| Feeder diseases | Salmonellosis, trichomoniasis, pigeon paramyxovirus, and avian pox can spread at feeders |
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