Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds: Cornell Lab

[Activert]

I think Birds and Beans was originally sponsored by Smithsonian Tropical Research, and they are pretty visible in many places (or at least used to be) where I was birding in Central/South America so that's how I found out about them, maybe? I think Cornell & American Bird Conservancy also publicizes them. If you're a memmber, I'm pretty sure ABC has a coupon code you can use to get a discount but I always forget to use it...

Thank you, I will check it!

 

[daran]

@daran Followup - I did a quick search and found this (which may be the original article or may be a different online version of it). I confess it appears not to be as cut and dry as I made it out to be, and they say the harm or benefit will vary depending on location.

Does feeding garden birds do more harm than good?

How bird feeding could disrupt an ecological balance just beyond our windowsills and gardens.

www.bbc.com

Reality is usually messy. The point of trading benefits for one species against making it harder for another is certainly worth consideration. Most of the birds coming to my feeder aren't exactly endangered. Then again I'm quite certain I inadvertently help the local sparrow hawks quite a bit.
I guess the real help we humans could provide is to stop poisoning insects and being so utterly selfish about land use. Compared to that our feeders don't seem to matter all that much.

 

[1963Photog]

I put out the bird feeder only during the winter (Canadian here) and a small seed one in summer just for the finches. My gazebo is far enough away to enjoy their antics.
No feed=no birds to watch but I agonize sometimes as I have found various small hawks have put my back yard on their winter hunting gyre.
Seeing a hawk on your fence is also dramatic and unnerving if you are a bird lover but I also seen the hawk miss all the times so the birds don't seem at a disadvantage and can spot the hawks just as well.

 

[daran]

I put out the bird feeder only during the winter (Canadian here) and a small seed one in summer just for the finches. My gazebo is far enough away to enjoy their antics.
No feed=no birds to watch but I agonize sometimes as I have found various small hawks have put my back yard on their winter hunting gyre.
Seeing a hawk on your fence is also dramatic and unnerving if you are a bird lover but I also seen the hawk miss all the times so the birds don't seem at a disadvantage and can spot the hawks just as well.

I've read somewhere sparrow hawks succeed in their hunt about once in seven attempts. I've build a bush like obstruction around my feeder to keep things fair.

 

[Activert]

Reality is usually messy. The point of trading benefits for one species against making it harder for another is certainly worth consideration. Most of the birds coming to my feeder aren't exactly endangered. Then again I'm quite certain I inadvertently help the local sparrow hawks quite a bit.
I guess the real help we humans could provide is to stop poisoning insects and being so utterly selfish about land use. Compared to that our feeders don't seem to matter all that much.

I totally agree with you on what we do for insects and destruction of habitat!

 

[Activert]

I put out the bird feeder only during the winter (Canadian here) and a small seed one in summer just for the finches. My gazebo is far enough away to enjoy their antics.
No feed=no birds to watch but I agonize sometimes as I have found various small hawks have put my back yard on their winter hunting gyre.
Seeing a hawk on your fence is also dramatic and unnerving if you are a bird lover but I also seen the hawk miss all the times so the birds don't seem at a disadvantage and can spot the hawks just as well.

I know how hard the winter for cardinals and finches. I live n Montreal and the city put 6 feeders on Mont Royal Park. Great Wood Pics, Cooper hawks and some owls spend all this winter around the area. At the end, it seems everything in balance.

 

[kmhphotography]

The other day, I added the link to Cornell's Feederwatch program because of the claim that they do not recommend bird feeding. I did so to show that not only do they not take issue with bird feeding but that they have an entire program, website with multiple web pages, and a worldwide feeder network viewable on bird cams that run 24/7.

The link I posted earlier directs to the live cams but here is the actual link for their homepage:

Project Feederwatch Home


If you want to save the planet's nature from ourselves, start with pollution and habitat destruction. More than anything else, that is what drives extinction and extirpation.

 

[Highbow]

I am not opposed to bird feeders and in fact the pleasure my wife gets from watching the birds as they and go, keeping the bird bath clean and filled with fresh water, gives her something to live for. It has drawn more birds to nest near our home , which is near woodland and I do take photos of birds in this area. There was times this winter in the ice storm we would have over two hundred birds on any given morning receiving the available supply of seed . I can honestly say in our mountain region there isn't much for the birds to feed on in winter months.
So to those who don't want to feed , I'm fine with your choice.

 

[Activert]

The other day, I added the link to Cornell's Feederwatch program because of the claim that they do not recommend bird feeding. I did so to show that not only do they not take issue with bird feeding but that they have an entire program, website with multiple web pages, and a worldwide feeder network viewable on bird cams that run 24/7.

The link I posted earlier directs to the live cams but here is the actual link for their homepage:

Project Feederwatch Home


If you want to save the planet's nature from ourselves, start with pollution and habitat destruction. More than anything else, that is what drives extinction and extirpation.

I completely agree with you and thanks for the link!

 

[Activert]

I am not opposed to bird feeders and in fact the pleasure my wife gets from watching the birds as they and go, keeping the bird bath clean and filled with fresh water, gives her something to live for. It has drawn more birds to nest near our home , which is near woodland and I do take photos of birds in this area. There was times this winter in the ice storm we would have over two hundred birds on any given morning receiving the available supply of seed . I can honestly say in our mountain region there isn't much for the birds to feed on in winter months.
So to those who don't want to feed , I'm fine with your choice.

Seems very positive for everyone!

 

[Calson]

Buying only organically grown produce rewards the growers not using pesticides that kill birds and people. Cancer rates with farm workers is double that of the surrounding population and so I have long felt that buying chemically grown produce was taking money from farm workers and their families.

 

[SonoranDesert]

Hi everyone;

This thread is not about promoting Cornell Lab, but it is about birds. From what I see in this forum, I believe we are all birds' lovers and photographers. We get excited when spring arrive and birds start building their nests. Bird migration started already and more and more birds are flying above our cities for their Summer destination.
I got this morning this article from Cornell Lab of Ornithology about how we can help birds specially in their migration. They are very easy steps to follow. Some I kew about them and others are new to me. So I thought to share the article on this forum if some photographers like to know these steps. Also if others like to share with us their ideas in making their backyard bird friendly. Here is the link

Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds

Here are the seven simple things you can do to help birds

www.birds.cornell.edu

If anyone feels this tread should not be posted please do ask Steve or his helper to remove it.

Thank You
Lina
Activert

Thanks for posting. Great and informative convo!

 

[Activert]

Thanks for posting. Great and informative convo!

I am happy if this information are helpful!