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Many people restrict their bird feeding to the winter months and stop feeding during summer. But there are many reasons to continue feeding the birds all year long. Do you feed the birds in summer? If you do, please post below and tell us about your summer feeding experiences!
One of the great reasons to feed birds in summer is to invite into your yard all the colorful migratory birds that have returned to us after the long winter. Grosbeaks, orioles, tanagers, mockingbirds, catbirds, and bluebirds are just a few of the summer birds that you can attract to your yard to enjoy their amazing colors and beautiful songs.
And although food is more plentiful in summer, it’s still possible that birds aren’t getting all the nutrition they need. Land development, stormy wet weather, droughts and any number of other circumstances can limit the availability of food for birds. And an adequate food supply is especially important for nesting birds. Not only do they have to feed themselves, but also their constantly hungry babies. And many birds raise several broods each summer.
Here are a some bird feeding tips that will help you attract summer birds and provide them with the added nutrition that birds might need:
Offer
suet. Suet is an excellent high-energy food for busy parent birds and it’s easily digestible for nestlings and fledglings. Parent birds will frequently bring their newly fledged babies to your
suet feeders and teach them to eat on their own—a delightful thing to watch! And many insect eating birds will be attracted to suet—especially catbirds. But suet can tend to melt and get sticky in very hot weather. Use a no-melt suet, which has a slightly drier consistency and less fat than other suets. No-melt or
"all season" will be stated on the package. And Duncraft’s
“Delight” suets and
suet pellents are also no-melt.
If you are using uncovered tube feeders, consider investing in a
weather baffle. Weather baffles are great for keeping rain and moisture from seeping into your feeders.
Weather baffles can also shade your suet and nectar feeders from hot sun.
Check your feeders, seed and suet often, especially after a bout of rainy weather. No bird feeders are completely water proof, and water in your feeders can cause seed to sprout and seed and suet to go moldy—very unhealthy for your 
birds. If you detect mold or sprouting seeds, empty and thoroughly clean your feeders before refilling.
Nyjer seed can be particularly susceptable to damp conditions. It may look fine in the tube, but Nyjer can become hard and caked up if it's exposed to moisture. Frequently shake your Nyjer tubes and stockings to make sure the seed is still flowing. Many times when your finches stop feeding, it's because the Nyjer seed has gotten caked together into a hard mass.
Be sure to give your birds water! Birds get most of their water from the insects they eat in summer and also from berries, but they still enjoy a drink now and then. And birds bathe frequently in usmmer to help remove parasites, clean their skin and remove oil and dirt from their feathers to keep them in top-flight condition.
Enjoy your summer birds--and be sure to post below with any special summer feeding advice you might have and why you enjoy feeding the birds all summer!
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Duncraft, Inc. 102 Fisherville Road Concord, NH 03303
800-593-5656
To go to duncraft.com--click here
- Posted at Monday, June 29, 2009 02:53 PM
- In Wild Bird Feeding Category | Permalink
I feed birds all year and regularly get 20-30 different species daily. It's relaxing and fun to sit and watch what comes for the sunflower hearts, thistle, mixed blend and suets. I offer water in a solar birdbath & heated birdbath in winter. This year I've had successful nests in 2 of my birdhouses and what a treat it was to check on the progress of those tiny babes in the nests! With all this rainy weather I see how important it is to keep the feeders filled & clean. Bird activity is steady and an important part of each and every day for me. Many people don't realize what goes on in their yards. If they just put out a feeder, birdbath and some suet they would be amazed at all the activity they will encounter! I can't wait to try the Miracle Meals that just arrived!
Posted by Barb Eaton on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:55 AM
I feed birds all year, which probably makes most of my neighbours think I'm crazy. Living in Canada just south of Toronto I'll be out in my backyard in -30C (-5F) degree wind chills in two feet of snow refilling the feeders that get used all year.
I must say I've been discouraged this year. I added the upside down double suet cake holder and the bright orange jelly/orange feeder from Duncraft. I haven't seen a single oriole or woodpecker. I keep checking religiously but no luck whatsoever. Anyone have any ideas?
Further what is everyone's offering in their yard? This year I perfected my mix for the birds I see the most. I use white millet in a gazebo feeder for sparrows and the resident red wing blackbirds. I use safflower in a gazebo feeder for cardinals (though the house finches enjoy it too). I use nyjer in a sock feeder for the goldfinches (though many other finches enjoy it). That mix has done wonders to eliminate my grackle problem, which used to be INCREDIBLY annoying. The grackles do unfortunately still affect me as they eat the whole shelled peanuts I put out for the blue jays. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the blue jays interested without having the grackles around? I've only ever had success attracting them with the peanuts and I have them in peanut cages on a nice large platform.
Enjoy the birds everyone!
Posted by Jay Sparks on Thursday, July 2, 2009 10:34 AM
I have my feeders out all year, I feed them with black sunflower seeds, a mixture of mixed seed and mix in another mixture with dried mealworms. I too tried an oriole feeder without any success. I also have a problem with the grackles, they are such pigs, and will empty out all the feeders and suet for all
my woodpeckers. They are a nuisance.
They scare off my finches, cardinals,
morning doves. I put out the feeders
and when they come around I clap my hands and bring the feeders in. I think
they are bringing more of their friends and relatives to my feeders!
I am always amazed when I have friends by and they see the assortment of birds I have, I always say "put up feeders and the birds will come". Its wonderful entertainment and I love watching them in the birdbaths I have. I would
never stop feeding them in any season
the woodies are bringing the new babies to the suet feeder and teaching them to use it. The birds do bring their offspring, so I am getting the next generations at all my feeders.
Posted by Brenda Kerney on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:33 AM
We live in the middle of the woods in a small town in Montana and though there are a lot of houses tucked among the trees, this is bear country. We thoroughly enjoy seeing the birds at our feeders all through the winter, but consider it irresponsible to keep the feeders up once the bears are out of hibernation. The bird food draws the bears to the houses and creates a number of problems -- often ending with the bear being shot. For the bears' sake, I can give up the pleasure of seeing the birds up close in the summer.
Posted by Betty on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:43 AM
I put an oriole feeder out with homemade nectar & orange half after I saw 4 Orioles in the yard, but they never touched it either. Here there is no problem with the Grackles but instead I have Starlings bringing their babies to the suet & window feeders, they are pigs & scare the others away too. I keep a dish of blackoil & heart sunflower mix behind the shed for the Doves, Blue Jays, chipmunks and it has helped other wildlife as well. The groundhog brought her 2 babies to munch (she comes twice a day still), an occasional skunk & raccoon show up, and yesterday a tiny baby gray fox had a meal. It is amazing what goes on when you feed the birds...not only the birds benefit but other wildlife does too. I take pictures of all the visitors because people don't believe all this wildlife is roaming around in this busy neighborhood yard.
Posted by Barb Eaton on Thursday, July 2, 2009 11:56 AM
I sure do feed the birds during the summer, actually year round. I have seven seed feeders going, ear of corn feeder and two suet feeders.I have two bird baths, one is heated for winter. I really enjoy watching the huge variety of birds I get, including Mallard Ducks and Turkeys. I also get lots of wildlife, deer, rabbits, skunks,squirrels, chipmunks,raccoons, etc. Love to see the youngins being fed. Wouldn't miss it.
Posted by Sue Hamilton on Thursday, July 2, 2009 02:02 PM
I live in central Indiana and out in the country burbs. I have a variety of foods, feeders, birdbaths, and suet feeders.
We have two large tail prop suet feeders that we use the no melt suet in the summer. We have them secured on long (48-52") hangers locked on the tall branches. The raccoons used to be able to simply lift the feeders off the hangers, drop them to the ground and then eat the suet til we out smarted them.
Since I do feed all year long I have different birds during the different seasons ... I have over 70 plus varities in a 12 month period.
I haven't been able to attract the Baltimore Oriole to the feeders nor the Eastern Bluebird to my mealworm feeder but I will keep trying.
My motto is "Invite the birds in with lots of available free food and water and they will come"!
I have not be disappointed and have lots of wonderful photos and moments!!
As I mentioned before we have lots of different feeders, suet, tube feeders, platform feeders, ground feeders, dish feeders, hummingbird feeders... they all get used!!
Posted by Jan on Thursday, July 2, 2009 03:29 PM
I feed birds all year around. There are more birds around my yard in summer than winter.Moreover, I want to help the parent birds by offering them available food source such that they have more time to care their nestlings.
Posted by Brigitte Peck Ki Laou on Friday, July 3, 2009 06:09 AM
We feed year round. We mark the passing seasons with the arrivals and departures of the various species. In spring we eagerly await the arrival of the male red-winged blackbirds because that means the orioles and catbirds aren't far behind. Nothing matches seeing the hummers outside the window asking where's the feeder? It was here last year! Oh the joy of watching the bright yellow plumage return to the goldfinch in the spring but sensing the return of winter when it changes to drab in the fall. We mark the calendars over the years and the first of May is a big time for the return of the colorful migrants! It does amaze us when visitors remark on a bird such as the rose-breasted grosbeak
because they've never seen one before! They don't realize that they too could enjoy all the delights of watching and photographing birds by simply hanging a feeder or two!
We have more orioles this year than ever before and they are into their third month of coming to the feeders. They haven't
Posted by Betty Ann on Saturday, July 4, 2009 09:23 AM
OOPS--to continue-They haven't bothered with the nectar this year but throughout May and most of June we were putting out three oranges daily. However they have now stopped feeding on the oranges and we are on our fourth large jar of grape jelly! The catbirds enjoy it as well. My suggestion to anyone who has seen seen the orioles around but they're not coming in for the nectar or oranges is to put out grape jelly!!
Posted by Betty Ann on Saturday, July 4, 2009 09:30 AM
Absolutely. We feed our feathered friends year round. We have at least five feeders going. Homemade nectar for the hummers, suet for the woodpeckers, nyjer for the finch and safflower for the cardinals and the morning doves. Of course a birdbath with a small pump to circulate the water and attract the birds.
We get an occasional Grosbeak and have seen Orioles but have been unsuccessful at getting them to come back.
Using safflower has cut down on the Grackle problem as they don't like it. Occasionally I will mix in sunflower seeds as a treat. A bowl of peanuts bring in the Blue Jays and Squirrels.
Our grandchildren get so excited watching the birds that our son had to put out feeders as well for the children to watch.
Posted by Max Trussell on Saturday, July 4, 2009 09:38 AM
I feed the birds year round. I have a feeder for each of the following seeds: no mess blend,safflower,sunflower,nyjer, and mixed seed. I too have sassy grackles, but have redirected them to a ground feeding dish, which also includes critter food for the squirrels and cottontails. I also have a peanut feeder and spike orange halves on shepherd hook ends. I have a ground bath w/water wiggler and a post mounted bath w/a rock waterfall. Both baths are heated for wintertime. I have an old large animal carrier that I use as a feeder in the winter- it keeps the food dry and the ground critters are dry while eating. Even the wandering oppossum partakes in winter. This last winter the birds would fly into the carrier w/such precision, it was fantastic to watch!
While I don't have as many as 20-30 types of birds, I enjoy the house sparrows,song sparrows,chipping sparrows,house finches,goldfinches,cardinals,rosebreasted grosbeak,red-winged blackbirds,dark eyed juncos,Baltimore Oriole,and robins. I also chop up green grapes for the robins and carrots for the cottontail rabbits. One of my grass weaved birdhouses has a 2nd clutch of 4 baby house sparrows and boy are they hungry!
Posted by Patti on Saturday, July 4, 2009 08:49 PM
I feed my birds in my Maine cottage year round and as a result have almost 30 to 40 goldfinches each day visiting my 8 feeders. I feed thistle and make sure in the winter I put out sunflower and "meaties" for more protein to keep them warmer. I also feed year round at my home in Massachusetts, but have a hard time with the "blackbirds" and pigeons. I worry about the birds in the winter and will go out in snowstorms and early morning hours to make sure they have enough food. I will even shovel snow and put it on the ground if they cannotget to feeders. It makes me happy to watch them and to know I am helping them through the cold winter months. But I feel I should continue during the summer and I can really enjoy them then. I try my best during the winter to keep them fed and last winter put up a Xmas tree near the feeders for shelter and left it up until weather got milder. Enjoy the beauty of them. Mary Vasel
Posted by Mary Vasel on Monday, July 6, 2009 05:20 AM
I feed the birds all year round, because I enjoy seeing them. Some of them only visit for a couple months in the summer, so I would miss them if I did not feed.
My backyard would be so dull without them.
Posted by Melody J. Kraus on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 07:54 PM
To Betty, the lady with the bears:
We absolutely agree that if bears are a problem in an area, that all bird feeders and food sources should be removed until the bears are once again in hibernation. You are absolutely right that giving up birdfeeding in the summer is a small price to pay to make sure bears stay safe in the woods and are not tempted into people's yards. It's an unsafe situation for both bears and people. Thank you for pointing this out to our readers!
Posted by Duncraft on Thursday, July 9, 2009 10:13 AM
We live in the country and feed year round. No melt suet feeders in the summer, regular suet in the winter. Since we put up the large spiral finch feeder from Duncraft we are blessed with 20-30 finches feeding at a time. They are so gentle on the eyes. We have 2 hummingbird feeders off our 2nd story deck and the hummers are so plentiful, they are like visiting friends each day. Our mixed seed feeder draws nuthatches, chickadees, Oak tits and occasional unidentified birds. We have scrub jays that are pigs here on the west coast. We are putting up an Oriole nectar feeder and mealworm cup because word has it Orioles have been sighted in our area. Our feeders are all up on the 2nd floor and we are surrounded by a variety of trees. The squirrel were trying to get into all the seed feeders, I've outsmarted them with barriers so they now feed off the ground underneath. We have several birdbaths around the property and mnay fruit trees, so I do not worry they are missing out on anything they need. It has brought so much joy and peace to sit quietly and watch nature at its best.
Posted by Kimberley Cussins on Monday, July 13, 2009 02:10 PM
I am about to complete my first full year of feeding the birds! I don't know why I didn't start years ago. I have 2 suet feeders, sunflower seeds, thistle, peanuts, corn, and nectar for the hummingbirds and orioles. I left town for a few days in June and I haven't seen my orioles since. I think the nectar spoiled while I was gone, but I have been putting out new nectar almost daily ever since, and still they haven't come back. Should I give up for the season? I live in Michigan. I would appreciate any help.
Posted by Melanie on Friday, July 17, 2009 03:25 AM