 Getting Started With
Feeding Birds
What you’ll need:
Bird feeder. If you already
have a feeder, you’re all set. If not, consider starting with a tube feeder. (See Feeder Types for more information.)
Bird food. You can choose from
a variety of foods, including seed and suet. Black-oil sunflower seed is the best
all-around attractant in most locations. (See What to
Feed for more information.)
Good feeding and viewing location. Place
your feeder in a quiet area where it is easy to see, convenient to refill, and where it
will attract a variety of birds.
Tally Sheets. You’ll need
one Tally Sheet per Count Period to keep a record of your sightings. A sample is included
in the Classroom FeederWatch curriculum as well as on the CFW web site (Tally
Sheet).
Field Guide. Use a current
edition. Old guides can be confusing because bird names and ranges sometimes change over
the years. (See "Field Guides" in the Bibliography
section.)
Helpful extras
Bird bath or water dispenser. A
variety of birds are attracted to water, including some species that seldom visit feeders.
Many birds find dripping or running water to be irresistable.
Binoculars. If your feeders are
near your window, you probably can identify most visitors with your naked eye. However,
distant birds might be tricky to identify, and even nearby birds are more fun to watch
with a good pair of binoculars. For help in choosing a decent pair at a reasonable price,
see "Desperately
Seeking Binos," Living Bird, Spring, 1999 (a publication of the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology).
Calendar with clearly marked Count Days.
At the beginning of the FeederWatch season select your Count Days, mark them on a
calendar, and then stick with them.
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