Buy a Bird Feeder: Winter Entertainment for the Whole Family

Posted by Sarah M. White 

Photo credit: Roann Mathias 

In early March, when Caleb was home after our second daughter was born, he installed a bird feeder on the back deck. This one simple thing brought so much enjoyment to our lives. We set up CG's camping chair right by the window so that she could eat her snack while she watched the birds eating theirs. We started to learn about birds and notice birds everywhere. Did you know there's a bird called a junco? This is one of my favorite birds because it's so small and it reminds me of a tiny penguin. 

A goldfinch, one of my other favorite birds. Photo credit: Roann Mathias. 

Tips for getting your own bird feeder 

1. Make it squirrel-proof. We did not at the beginning, and the squirrels ate all the food in one day. We used a big sour cream container to keep the squirrels from climbing up the pole. I'm sure the neighbors love it. You can get a real one that's black. 

Not pretty, but it works. 

2. Select a bird food that attracts a variety of birds so you can see many different types of birds. 

Tie in More Learning 

1. Teach the names of the most common birds at your feeder. CG has learned the names of many common birds like cardinal, chickadee, and blue jay. Not sure what the birds are? Check out a bird-watching guide from the library like National Audubon Society First Field Guide or something more attuned to your state like Wild about Wisconsin Birds: A Youth's Guide to the Birds of Wisconsin. 
2. When you go on walks outside, look and listen for birds. Point out and name birds. Listen for their sounds and try to learn them. This is hard. I can recognize a red-winged blackbird and a cardinal, and I'm trying to learn more. 
3. Look for birds in favorite books. Many books have common birds in the background of illustrations. Help your child notice and name the birds you see while reading. 
4. Check out some age-appropriate books on birds. My two favorite board books about birds are No Two Alike by Keith Baker and Birds by Kevin Henkes. 

Let me know how it goes if you try it!