I read that the original pedestal bird baths were created in ancient Greece and it just goes to show you that for years we’ve attempted to coax birds into our lives. Even the most beautiful yard can be added to, with an artistically placed bird bath or feeder. A lot of flower gardens have even been designed around bird house feeders. Americans began to feed game birds during the Great Depression when concerned nature lovers reacted to several years of crop failure. The practice – it seems – has steadily grown. These days bird food is serious business. You’ll find birdfeeders fabricated from various metals, woods and plastics, but I’ve never seen anything cross my path that’s more original than this African Bird House Bird Feeder. When the food is gone- voila’ you have a house!
As well as thinking about how your feeders will look, there are other practical things worth remembering if you want to feed wild birds. You’ll need to achieve breathing room surrounding them, so that the neighborhood felines won’t hide and suddenly leap from the bushes. Cat’s do that! You also would probably rather avoid feeding the squirrels so watch where you put them. And, sadly most bird feeders are also very messy. The seeds will be all over the ground and you can’t have them too close to the sitting area.
But it all comes down to one simple truth drawing lots of birds to share your space is without a doubt worth the effort. They’ll add something different to your yard.