Hi Kim,
I enjoyed your informative article! I've been feeding the backyard songbirds in my area for many years; I love watching them visit the feeders and I really enjoy photographing birds of all kinds! I've had beautiful sunflowers gifted to me by birds or other animals dropping the seeds (as well as more than my share of weedy plants
) but it's all well worth it in my opinion!
I've read that many experts disagree on whether or not it's a good thing to feed birds but I do it almost year round. It seems to me that bird populations may naturally regulate themselves from year to year. At least in my experience, some years the Jays and Doves are numerous while in other years there are abundant populations of Cardinals and Brown Thrashers or some other types of birds ... it seems to go in cycles.
There are many different birds that visit the feeders in my garden but there are times when not one single bird shows up for extended periods. During those times I wonder if perhaps there are plants around the area producing foods that the birds prefer, giving them a varied diet. That is a good thing but I still like to put out seed, nuts and berries to supplement their diet in case they are not finding adequate sustenance.
Sometimes, feeding backyard songbirds will attract Hawks and Kites, as well as other predators like snakes that take advantage of the situation but that's all a part of nature and the raptors and other predators have to eat too. Some of the songbirds do become easy targets but for the most part, birds have warning systems that alert each other when a predator is in their midst.
The birds in my neighborhood have a wide variety of foods in their diet, from seeds and fruits produced by plants in the landscape, to insects ... as well as the backyard feeders.
