Creating a Backyard Bird “Sanctuary”

Out and About for the Sebago Lakes Region of Maine Jan. 13-18
Out and About for the Sebago Lakes Region of Maine Jan. 13-18
January 11, 2017
Preparing for the Thaw
January 17, 2017

Creating a Backyard Bird “Sanctuary”

Birds in Feeder

This Christmas, I bought my cat, Pepita, a bird feeder as a gift. Because she is (strictly) an indoor cat with the heart and attitude of a lioness, I try my best to keep her active mind as busy as possible. I figured the bird feeder would be a good start, especially since it’s currently too cold to crack the windows open so she can hear the birds while catching whiffs of fresh air, switching her tail back and forth, and planning an attack that will never happen. But she can dream.
I wouldn’t want her to kill the birds, anyway. Dead birds have always had a chilling effect over me; the sight of them makes my head reel and my stomach drop. Maybe because it’s so painful to see something that always appears so delicate, light, and free suddenly limp and lifeless; the dead bird is probably one of the most hopeless images in the entire world–and not something I want to think about. So, the bird feeder. It will entertain my cat from a safe distance, but it will also give me something to watch and enjoy as I sip my morning coffee. And, hopefully, it will make the remaining winter months–a time of which I am sure is of great difficulty in the bird world–a little more bountiful and a little less bleak for our local feathered friends.
Suddenly my bird feeder project became less about my cat (who at least gets to reign the territory of a warm home and never has to worry about an empty food bowl) and more about the birds. What could I do to create a sort of backyard “sanctuary” for them as they froze their little feathered behinds out there in a bitter Maine January? The more I (and my cat) thought about the fluffy little chickadees, nuthatches, goldfinches, blue jays and cardinals that frequent my birdfeeder, I began to conduct research on them, hoping to better learn how I could make them keep coming back and to help them realize that this was their home, too, as much as it was mine and Pepita’s.
Take a moment to think about the three most basic needs a living organism needs for survival: water, food, and shelter. Fortunately, these are three simple things that we can provide for our feathered friends. Food might seem the easiest at first, and that was the first step I took in creating my backyard sanctuary. But I wanted to make sure that I was offering the birds the right kind of food, especially for this chilly time of year. Birds are generally seedeaters, and they use more energy in cold weather to keep warm, so it’s best to fill your feeder(s) with seeds mixes that are high in fat content. My father swears by black oil sunflower seed, as this is a favorite among a wide variety of bird species, and it is also high in fat. Suet is another ideal option for providing necessary nutrients; you can even make your own using peanut butter, cornmeal, and seeds.
Here is a compilation of homemade suet recipes (some fancy, some not). Oh, and the best part? You can make it in bulk, break it apart and keep it in your freezer for as long as needed! Dried and fresh fruit are also favorite treats for many bird species–go ahead and place some on a platform or scatter it across the ground. Lastly, make sure that the feeders you use are suitable and accessible for the types of birds that visit your backyard, and try to keep them out of the elements as much as possible. You will have to clean them off following winter storms, otherwise your visitors will be wary.
Water: this may seem an impossible feat in the wintertime. And you may ask, why do the birds need me to give them water with all this snow around? It turns out that water is actually very scarce in the winter, and it takes a great deal of energy for birds to warm the water within their tiny bodies that they get from eating snow. So, if you can, place some wintertime birdbaths around your property and stay consistent about filling them with fresh (thawed) water at least once a day. You can also invest in a heated birdbath if you’d rather not brave the elements on the daily.
Finally, shelter. How would you like to be out in the open all the time in the bitter cold and wind? Probably not very much! Because birds are so small, they are able to find shelter in lots of spaces, including fallen branches, dead gardens, and shrubs. Of course, you can hang a few birdhouses (which I am sure they will greatly appreciate), but you can also place some dead logs and branches around your property and may find yourself surprised by how quickly that real estate goes off the market! I have some rather ugly shrubbery surrounding my front porch, but it is common ground for my own little bird community and therefore I could never be rid of it. Evergreen boughs make ideal vegetated homes because they are able to hold up snow and create additional protection from the elements. If you don’t already have native plant species on your property, consider planting some trees and/or shrubs in the springtime to provide long-term shelter for your backyard birds.
Oh–one more fun idea… still have your Christmas tree kicking around? Turn it into a bird’s paradise by hanging it with small feeders, dried fruit, popcorn and pinecones! They can even play hide and seek while they snack!
Hopefully by now you’re feeling inspired and ready to extend the comfort of your home to your backyard! Make sure to have a pair of binoculars and a field guide at the ready!

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