Cardinal © Ellen Honeycutt
[Guest post by Ellen Honeycutt]
Feeding the birds with backyard bird feeders is a popular thing to do. It’s a “feel good” activity that gives joy to those that watch the birds from their window and delights the birds that are willing to visit them. The more birds that visit, the happier the humans are. Feeders and seeds are widely available; you can even find supplies in grocery stores. There are also stores devoted to backyard feeding and bird watching and, in 1989, the National Bird-Feeding Society (NBFS) was formed. I’m sorry to say, however, that bird feeders are not saving the world. They are not even saving most of the bird species.
Tufted titmouse and goldfinch © Ellen Honeycutt
You see, not all birds visit bird feeders – in fact, most birds don’t visit bird feeders! In my area, the birds that visit feeders represent just a small fraction of the total number of bird species that pass through the area. Traditional seed feeders attract tufted titmice, black-capped chickadees, white breasted nuthatches, bluejays, cardinals, Carolina wrens, goldfinches, mourning doves, house finches, some species of woodpeckers, and a few others depending on what kind of seeds are in the feeders.
NBFS identifies 20 species as common bird feeder visitors in the Eastern US. That represents a very small percentage of all species of birds that either live in Georgia year-round or spend a season here. There is no mention of the American robin, the brown thrasher (our state bird), eastern phoebe, waxwings, thrushes, flycatchers, warblers, raptors, owls, ducks and well over 100 others (there are over 925 species of birds in North America).
Hermit Thrush © Ellen Honeycutt
Even without bird feeders, some birds have adapted fairly well so far to human disturbance. The American Robin, for instance, continues to maintain a fairly good population because they have adapted to our lawns, fields and city parks. They eat earthworms, insects and tree fruit (such as hawthorn, sumac and dogwood fruits).
Eastern Bluebirds, first affected in a negative fashion, now thrive thanks to intensive nestbox programs. Bluebirds get most of their food from insects during the summer and tree fruits during the winter.
Water sources also support birds, even those that don’t visit bird feeders.
White-throated sparrow © Ellen Honeycutt
So if bird feeders are not the answer, what is? INSECTS. Birds that don’t eat seeds, and even birds that do eat seeds, eat insects. Some birds eat fruit in addition to insects. But some only eat insects, and all birds feed insects to their chicks.
Well, there must be tons of insects out there, right? Unfortunately there are not as many as you might think. You see native insects – the kinds that native birds prefer – are adapted to feeding on plants. Native plants. When gardeners and landscape designers choose non-native plants instead of native plants, the available foliage to support insects like juicy caterpillars is reduced. When there is less food for caterpillars, there will be fewer caterpillars and birds will produce fewer chicks.
Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home, has a story about how when habitat is reduced, some people think that birds can just forage harder. They already spend their whole day looking for food, and people think they can just look a little harder?
No, that doesn’t happen. Instead, bird populations shrink and shrink until some birds just go away – they become extinct like the Passenger Pigeon and the Carolina Parakeet.
So if you truly want to support the birds, step away from the bird feeder and take a look at what you’re growing in your landscape: crape myrtle, camellia, lilac, Indian hawthorne, privet, forsythia, lawn … these plants might as well be plastic as far as our native insects are concerned.
Think about replacing some of your non-native plants with regionally appropriate natives. If you’re in the mid-Atlantic, consider a list of the top 20 plants (woody and herbaceous) that support Lepidoptera (think “caterpillars”). As you replace more and more of your non-natives, look for an increase in the number of birds in your yard, visiting your bird bath, nesting in your trees. They may not be at your bird feeder, but they will be there.
Resources:
- Audubon Society: Common Birds in Decline
- Find your local native plant society – mine is Georgia Native Plant Society
- Support habitat and land conservation through organizations like The Nature Conservancy
[About Ellen Honeycutt: I am a passionate native plant gardener near Atlanta, GA who is learning to appreciate more every day the relationship that plants have with our native fauna. I created a personal blog, Using Georgia Native Plants, to help increase the level of regional native plant information available to average gardeners. I try to emphasize the beauty and versatility of native plants as landscape choices as well as the value to the local ecosystem.]
© 2012, Ellen Honeycutt. All rights reserved. This article is the property of BeautifulWildlifeGarden.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Ellen Honeycutt
I agree completely. We quit putting out bird feeders and started growing native plants and creating a place for the insects in our garden years ago. The diversity of birds increased each year. It takes a bit more effort to see them but a pair of binoculars near the door gets used often.
Gloria recently posted..Winter in a our back garden
Gloria, I’m glad to hear that you’ve seen a difference.
Ellen this is a fantastic post and one that I will be sharing on my blog…so many folks want feeders and this gives them more food for thought. I gave up the feeders years ago and planted native plants that provide food, but the missing piece is the insects…it is what they also find in my garden besides natural berries and seed. And another reason not to use chemicals.
Yes, excellent point, Donna – another reason not to use chemicals.
I enjoy feeding the birds but also have been adding mainly native plants to a new garden that is replacing what was once barren lawn in a small village. My lawn was once dominated by the common house sparrow, but in the few short years since I’ve began planting, two different species of warblers have now visited during migrations which I consider a great compliment given my location. Yellow warblers now stay in my garden for most of the summer. It is such a joy to catch a glimpse of them flitting about the wild grapes and among the perennial beds. I hear catbirds, too. Native plantings do make a huge difference.
I saw my first warbler this year – a yellow-rumped warbler. What a superb feeling to see new and different birds visit my yard each season. It is truly a reason to keep going with the transition to a diverse group of natives.
Very true and I have only recently become familiar (or obsessed might be the right word if you ask my husband) with gardening for wildlife and birds. I have a shopping list ready for many native shrubs to add to my wildlife garden and wooded areas this spring. However, I plan to keep my feeders up too just for the fund of it and for variety. But I want to spread the word about native gardening too, it really is essential.
Tuire – I occasionally stock my feeder, especially on the coldest of days. It’s a good way to see up close the ones that DO visit. Welcome to your new obsession, I don’t think you could have a better one!
Thanks for the great post! The word certainly needs to get out. I have about 85% native plants and the difference in the amazing – I am continually fascinated by the insects and birds that I am now seeing .
I have also taken to observing the variety of insects these last few years. It has added a whole new dimension to my time outside.
Ellen, thank you so much for sharing your wildlife garden with us! It’s so true that a garden full of native plants will attract far more birds than feeders, especially when you plant lots of berrying shrubs, and seed-bearing flowers and grasses. That way you meet all of your local birds needs.
Carole Sevilla Brown recently posted..A Love Letter to Wildlife
Carole – thank you and the team for this opportunity. I have learned much from what is posted here and am happy to add to the discussion.
Very much enjoyed your article, you make an excellent case. We’ve certainly noticed far more varieties of birds over the past 7 years since we’ve been planting more natives, less grass and increasing the available water supply (never using chemicals!). My latest lovely surprises have been a summer tanager and indigo bunting! Happy birding!
Well, in the interests of pedantry, a significant portion of those 925 are sightings rather than established populations—usually blown in from elsewhere by storms—and their occurrences aren’t really based on anything we’re doing. (No quantity of native plants is gonna get me an Emperor Goose or a Key West Quail-Dove…but lord, don’t I wish…!)
But there’s a good 600+ that are actually established in North America, and it’s definitely worth stocking the yard with bugs for them. I would say, however, that feeders do provide one vital function, which is a guaranteed food source during severe weather—I was caught in the recent freak Seattle ice storm, and there are at least two Anna’s hummingbirds that survived the day largely because my host kept refilling the feeder when it iced over, and an extraordinary number of varied thrushes were kicked down from higher elevations and descended on the feeders, where they normally wouldn’t have been found. (I also do get a lot of brown thrashers on my suet feeders, but you have to hang them up right up against the tree, or they won’t go for it at all.)
I think of feeders like vending machines at the airport—they’re not a full diet, but when you need one, boy, do you need one!
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Ursula, I love your point about vending machines . . . and unfortunately the junk food in those machines are most likely full of chemicals and GMOs. I fear much of bought bird food is the same. I know you can make your own suet. Feeding the birds may be another way of spreading Monsanto’s toxic seeds.
It’s worth noting too that there are some good books on birdscaping that include suggestions for what to plant. However, many of these books don’t distinguish between native and invasive species. Placing feeders and landscaping with native plants is a big step in the right direction.
WisconsinWildMan recently posted..Winged Wednesday: Plants for Birds – Alternative Native Plants
I feed birds because I want to see them , not because “it feels good”. I have read Mr. Tallamy’s book and try to plant only native plants , but my wife has some non-native favorites in the front yard. If you want Eastern bluebirds , brown thrashers , crows , redwinged blackbirds , yellow rumped warblers , pileated woodpeckers , grackles or starlings at your feeders , buy a big suet cage and hang it at a 45 degree angle. I use suet with insects in it and all these birds come to the feeder. I have also hung “upside down” feeders with the suet facing up and these same birds also come for the suet. Because of the 16 oaks , pines , tulip poplars and beech trees in the back yard , we get red shouldered hawks , Cooper’s hawks and red tailed hawks. Robins and towhees feed in the leaf litter under the trees. My wife has become interested in birds because of the feeders.The feeders augment the natural food and we see more birds than if there were no feeders.It has been an education for me , I did not used to be interested in birds at all.I will continue to plant natives for the birds and the insects. We are decreasing the front lawn by planting trees and flower beds.
Great post!! My husband and I have a summer business selling among other things–bird feeders, but I just did a presentation on creating bird habitats. Attracting birds has nothing to do with bird feeders, but everything to do with native trees/shrubs/flowers. You’ll attract twice the amount of birds and it’s free to feed them–seeds/berries/nuts–and insects! I agree with Ursula though, feeders are a great supplemental food during the late winter/early spring when natural sources are running low.
I find this article very discouraging! If I was not such an ardent lover of birds, I might decide to take down all my birdfeeders! Who ever said that bird feeders are saving the world anyway? It is winter, my yard has lots of plants that offers seeds, etc. However, the feeding of the birds is like feeding my soul. Those of us with small yards do what we can do. In this way, I could see that the birds are even mixed up by this warm weather in South Bend, IN. Last week we had our usual pair of ducks show up in our small pond. Mating this early? I don’t think so, but maybe!. Then. because I have seeds for my lovely yellow finches, I noticed that one of the males was turning more yellow! Hmm—a little early I think —but nature has a story to tell. Already we have the mourning doves — 5 of them, returning, robins have showed up, five pairs of cardinals, jays, woodpeckers and nuthatches, etc. etc. Let’s see, I have a small pond 10 x 18 feet — so the heron shows up now and then, and of course there is the Red tail Hawk who plucks off one of the smaller birds.
And because of all these visits from birds, I am teaching my 2 year old grandaughter that it is just not a “bird” — but that it is red and that it is a cardinal. Who knows that she might not become the next great ornithologist.
Passion for having native plants, should not make the rest of us feel like we are pagans, and have been led away from the truth!
Many years ago, we had a long and fierce winter. Suddenly I had a flock of birds I had never seen, nor have seen since, but there they were, roosting in my hemlock trees! Native species, I have no idea–but I know that my awe made a lot of to decide to feed the birds.
In a two block area, I am the only one who feeds consistantly. And if I am sick, and don’t feed them, they go away. However, the birds , seem to always be checking back to see if there is food. Once I fill the feeders, it only takes an hour for one group to show up–and then they all send out and sing out “Food is here, she finally got outside, Come get your food!”
Lighten Up!!!
Linda, I appreciate your viewpoint. I put out food myself sometimes – as others have said it is both a nice supplement in the worst months and a delight to have them close enough to observe. The point of the article is simply that feeding birds from artificial feeders is not enough to support the birds – it alone is not satisfying their needs. The article is meant to provoke a deeper understanding of what it means to support our native birds.
“these plants might as well be plastic as far as our native insects are concerned”….I thought I was the only one that said this!
Great post Ellen! I get so much joy from seeing birds foraging for food out in the gardens and fields. Years ago I did have several bird feeders by the house, but the bears became fond of them so down they came. I also began to worry about the quality of the food I was offering to the birds. I do not trust the industry. I am not a purist . . . I love my lilacs but plant only natives these days. You must be having warm spring days there now . . . with lots of spring sprouting all about. I moved from Atlanta in 1975. Do miss the springs there.
Good point Carol, that around here (central MA) hanging bird feeders is extending an open invitation to the black bears that are looking for an easy meal! And like you, after hearing about the Scotts “tainted birdseed” lawsuit, I am very put off the idea of buying bagged birdseeds from who knows where and sprayed with all kinds of environmental toxins and transported here using fuel-hungry big rigs. I’ve considered growing safflower here for my own birdseed, but finally concluded that it was too much effort when the birds are just as happy foraging from the bird-friendly plantings here…
Ellen (S)
Hi Ellen! Nice to see you here and LOVE the article!
I maintained a purchased bird feeder while I lived in NY, but only during the worst of the winter (began Thanksgiving day, ended when I saw the return of a substantial insect population). I have a platform feeder here in FL, but I only filled it with commercial seed for about 4 months when I first got my zoom camera (I KNOW! I selfishly needed instant gratification had to get those photos
). Now I will occasionally put out a few raw nuts but I don’t use commercial seed at all any more. It’s much more rewarding to watch the birdies digging around for the insects in the leaf piles and watching them swaying on the stems of bluestem grasses while they get better nurishment from actual plants. The woodpeckers are always busy at the snags and the hawks watch from high branches for frogs, mice and snakes.
So, I will note that MY bird feeders ARE saving the world. The leaf piles, the tree snags, the spent flowers, the drying fruits. HA!
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Ellen, nice to see your contribution here (from another Ellen!), and for reinforcing the message that insects are an important part of bird diets. We got a new cat last year and trying to keep him indoors has been just about impossible, so we did not hang any bird feeders this winter. The funny thing is that I have still noticed the same birds around (Cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, juncos, etc), which shows that they would be here with or without the feeders…it’s the landscaping and the ample seed and insect populations here that is their subsistence. Hope to see more postings from you in future!