Bird feeders are objects that are designed to provide food for birds. They are needed for pets, and are sometimes put outside for wild birds; this is especially done in the winter, when birds would not otherwise be able to collect enough food. Bird feeders come in many different forms.
While seed is commonly used to fill a bird feeder, some are designed for nectar feeding birds. Hummingbirds are one such bird that specialty feeders are designed for. They act as a reservoir for hummingbirds to drink from. The nectar used is a simple mix of sugar and water.
Birds appreciate being fed throughout the year, but winter is their most difficult time, when they find it hard to find their natural food, such as insects, worms, berries and seeds.
Luckily, most birds take readily to a variety of food items that we can easily provide and this helps them to survive the cold winter months.
Seed-eaters, such as chaffinches and greenfinches enjoy being offered a supply of seeds all through the year.
Birds, whether they are insect or seed eaters when adult, feed their babies on insects and other minibeasts; it is not a good idea to put out loose whole peanuts in the spring and summer - a whole peanut fed to a baby bird by a misguided parent may choke it!
However, most other types of food can be quite safely offered throughout the year.
As well as helping the birds, feeding them enables us to watch them close-up, observe their behaviour and even photograph them quite easily!