Why Feed Wild Birds?

While humans have fed wild birds for thousands of years, the first piece of evidence of a "modern-style" bird feeder is dated back to 1825, with the 'Ornithotrophe'. Invented by John Freeman Dovaston, the Ornithotrophe was a modified wooden cattle trough fitted with rows of perches, and was filled with various food scraps. It wasn't until the 1920s that bird feeders hit the shelves, with the first being a hummingbird feeder and other styles becoming widely available in stores soon after. Today, the hobby has grown into one of the most practiced and beloved in the world with statistics showing that over 25% of Canadian households feed birds in their yards. 

American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, Indigo Bunting feeding from Eliminator Feeder

Why should we feed wild birds?

• Help birds through hard times
  Studies have shown that wild birds get 20-30% of their diet from bird feeders when available. The rest is made up of natural foods including insects, seeds, berries, and nectar. While birds clearly aren't dependent on supplemental food from bird feeders, this extra food offers a cushion when times are tough. During the winter months, most of our Ontario-native species shift their diet from being largely insect based to more seed and fruit based. As snow and ice accumulate through the season, those foods can become scarce and difficult to find. By offering birds food, it gives them a reliable source of healthy foods which can be the difference between life and death when faced with extreme weather conditions. Offering food to backyard birds isn't only beneficial in the winter, but can help in the spring as hungry migrants return in search of quick and easy nourishment to help regain their strength & prepare for the busy nesting season ahead. During the summer, foods you offer at your feeders can help provide nestlings and fledglings with a consistent source of foods to give them a strong start in life. And in the fall, offering bird food can help migratory species build up fat reserves for their journeys, and aid many of our non-migratory species in building large caches to help get them through the winter months. 

• Therapeutic benefits
  Bird watching benefits the mind, body, and soul. Recent studies have shown that bird watching reduces cortisol levels from stress, lowers heart rate, and helps diminish anxiety, fear, and muscle tension. In addition to those benefits, researchers also found that birding provides a mental work out as participants search for birds and try to identify them. This helps to increase short term memory, concentration, patience, and productivity. Bird watching is a calming hobby, that helps provide a distraction from life's struggles and brings peace in during troubling times. It's also a great way to boost physical health and build a connection to nature. The mental & physical benefits of bird watching and feeding are truly endless. 
  
  
• Contribute to science
  Backyard birding brings many joys to our lives, and just simply watching and counting the birds can also help save them. Throughout the year, there are several ccommunity science projects which call for birders - beginners and experts alike - to report the birds they see in their yards. Some of these projects include Project FeederWatch, the Great Backyard Bird Count, Journey North, and eBird. While each of these projects are different in their own way, they all serve the same purpose: save birds! And you can help by providing information on the birds you see in your yard. The information you submit to each of these projects is invaluable and is used to track migration routes & population numbers, study how habitat loss, climate change, and pollution affects birds, and so much more.
  
  
• Sense of community
  The bird feeding community spans across the globe, with millions of members who all have one thing in common: we love birds! Feeling a sense of community and belonging over the past couple of years has been difficult at times. With the power of the internet and social media platforms, it is easier than ever to connect with one another and create meaningful communities who share sightings, photos, questions, and thoughts in a safe space. If social media isn't your thing, many areas have birding or nature clubs who get together for in-person presentations, group walks, workshops, and other events.
  
  
• Lifelong learning
  The best part about bird watching and feeding (in my opinion) is that there is something new to learn every single day. Watching birds at feeders provides us with information on which species prefer which foods we're offering, how each species forages and cracks open seeds, relationships between individual birds & other animals, and so much more. Science is unveiling new information about birds daily, and no matter how many different species we've had at our feeders, there are always more that could show up at any moment giving us something new to learn about.
  

Baltimore Oriole feeding on BirdBerry Jelly from Oriole Flower Feeder

When shouldn't we feed the birds?
There are instances when we should refrain from feeding backyard birds. Bird feeding has its own set of responsibilities, a big one being feeder maintenance. If you find that you are unable to clean your feeders regularly, it would be a good idea to stop feeding until a time when proper cleaning is manageable in order to help keep birds safe from infectious diseases spread through dirty feeders. Feeding birds should also be avoided if you live in an area that bears are known to frequent for your safety and theirs. Lastly, if you or your neighbours have cats that roam freely outdoors, the most responsible thing to do is refrain from attracting birds to your yard to avoid them becoming a meal. Click here to read more about keeping cats & birds safe. 

Can't feed the birds? No problem, there are lots of ways to be an advocate for birds without using bird feeders. Here are a few ideas: 1) Plant native plants in your yard to help provide shelter and natural food sources. 2) Add a water feature to your yard (or balcony) in the form of a bird bath or pond. 3) Install nesting boxes and bird houses to provide safe places for birds to roost and raise their families. 4) Drink bird-friendly coffee like Birds & Beans who actually provide healthy habitats while growing coffee - drink coffee, save birds.. what could be better?

Happy trails!

- Shayna