Pets are one of the best stress relievers. They can give us love, comfort, and laughter especially on the days we need it the most. Pets can be in the form of dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents such as hamsters, guinea pigs, and gerbils, aquarium fishes, and birds.
Birds as pets may not be as common like cats and dogs, but they can be a great addition to your family. Whether you like to have one as a pet, or you simply want to attract them in your backyard, then you must know how to feed them properly. Here’s a basic guide on bird feeding.
Do Some Research
Before knowing what to feed a bird, you must know first what kind of pet bird you’re planning to have at home, or what type would you encounter in your backyard or in other places where you’ll be birdwatching. Birds come in different species, too, so you must remember that they eat differently. And, you must feed them with foods that contain the nutrients that they need. Don’t feed them just for the sake of feeding them. It can do more harm than good. Take note that they need to eat and live healthily, too.
Why Should You Feed Birds?
When it comes to birdwatching, it’s important that aside from watching their uniqueness and beauty, you must feed them accordingly. People feed birds for different reasons and some of these include birdwatching per se where they study and pay attention to the beauty of nature, the birds, and their habitat, to captivate themselves during short walks in the park, and to simply unwind.
Feeding birds can make a great impact since a few species of wild birds are having a decline in their populations because of climate change, loss of natural habitat, environmental deterioration, lack of food source, etc.
What Kinds of Food to Give?
If you have a pet bird at home, feeding them would be easy because there are lots of bird seeds that can be found at the pet store and you can simply ask your trusted vet for some nutritional advice. But when it comes to feeding wild birds, it’s a different story.
Feeding them would be an everyday surprise because you’ll never know what kind of bird you’ll encounter. However, don’t worry too much because there’s a variety of Wild Bird Food available at the market, too, or you can simply make your mixes that contain enough nutrients to support their health. Also, take note that they eat not only bird seeds but fruits, nectars, berries, and insects as well.
When Should You Feed?
Wild birds have a fast metabolism because of high energy and activity levels so they need a steady food source. It would be a great help if you can feed them regularly. It would be best to feed them during the hot season, winter season, rainy days, or whenever it is that it would be hard to find an adequate food source. It is during these times that most birds die because of lack of food and extreme weather conditions. It’s one of the best ways to save their population.
Feeding birds, whether pets or wild ones, is easy once you get used to it. You’ll surely enjoy it.