Budget Friendly Bird Feeding Tips

Watching birds arrive daily to enjoy the food and water we provide for them is an enjoyable hobby. However, buying bird seed can be expensive. I have found the following tips helpful in reducing the cost of feeding the birds.

Bird seed is less expensive when purchased in bulk amounts. Buy bulk birdseed when it is on sale. Check local farm and garden stores, general merchandise stores, dollar stores, and even grocery stores for sale priced bird seed. Buying in bulk requires storing the bird seed in tightly sealed containers to keep it safe from unwanted nibblers and to protect it from dampness.

Birds will drop seed on the ground under the feeders. Skipping a day or two between feeder refills gives them a chance to eat the seed that has fallen to the ground.

Feeders are designed for specific types of seed. Filling them with the appropriate seed will avoid excessive waste.

Feeders with a tray as part of their design reduce the amount of seeds that fall to the ground.

Squirrels can consume a lot of bird seed and do considerable damage to plastic feeders. It is best to spend a little more to get feeders that are designed to be squirrel proof. However, you might be surprised to see how creative a squirrel can be when trying to outsmart squirrel proof feeder designs.

In addition to feeding wild bird seed and black oil sunflower seeds, hang some suet feeders. Buy these on sale also or make you own suet cakes from one of the many recipes available online and in birding magazines.

Depending on the type of birds you have coming to your feeders, you might want to expand their feeding options to include something other than bird seed. Bread, popcorn, raisins, fruits, and various other leftovers from the kitchen appeal to many varieties of birds.

Planting bushes with seeds and berries that birds like and growing sunflowers each summer also helps reduce the quantity of seeds we need to buy.

By VeronicaHB

Editor's Note:

Bird experts are now discouraging bread as a food for birds, especially store-bought bread. Leftover foods that contain salt or spices should also be avoided.