National Bird-Feeding Society facts for kids

The National Bird-Feeding Society (NBFS) is a group in the United States that helps people learn about feeding wild birds. Their main goal is to make bird feeding better for both people and the birds. They do this by studying birds and teaching people how to feed them safely and effectively.

The NBFS started in 1989. Since then, it has been a helpful place for people to find out the best ways to feed birds. They share tips on what bird seed to use and what types of bird feeders work best. They also explain how to enjoy bird feeding even if you don't have a big backyard. The team at Wild Bird Centers of America in Glen Echo, Maryland, helps run the NBFS every day.

What Birds Like to Eat: Seeds!

In 2008, a big study called Project Wildbird finished. It lasted three years and cost a lot of money. This study looked at what kinds of bird seeds and feeders birds liked most in the United States and Canada. Dr. David Horn and Stacey Johansen at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, led this important research.

The study found that out of ten common seed types, five were the most popular with birds. These top seeds are black-oil sunflower, nyjer, fine and medium sunflower chips, and white proso millet. Birds showed three main patterns in what seeds they preferred:

• Smaller birds like American goldfinch and pine siskin really liked nyjer (also called thistle) and sunflower hearts (also called hulled sunflower or sunflower chips).
• Birds that grab a seed and fly off to eat it, such as black-capped chickadee, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, and white-breasted nuthatch, preferred black-oil sunflower seed. Larger finches like house finch and purple finch, and the northern cardinal, also loved black-oil sunflower.
• Birds that eat on the ground, like chipping sparrow, dark-eyed junco, and mourning dove, mostly preferred white proso millet.

The study also found some seeds that birds usually don't like. Red milo, for example, is a seed that very few birds eat. If a bird seed mix has a lot of red milo, birds might not eat it, which can make bird feeding less fun.

Choosing the Best Bird Feeder

There are many different kinds of bird feeders, but they usually fit into three main groups: tube, hopper, and platform feeders.

• Tube feeders are long and thin, often made of plastic.
• Hopper feeders look like small houses and are made from metal, wood, and plastic.
• Platform feeders are large, flat trays, sometimes with a roof, and are usually made of wood or plastic.

All these feeders can hold different types of bird seeds. However, some special feeders are made just for nyjer, sunflower hearts, or whole peanuts (peanuts without shells, split in half). Tube feeders usually attract smaller birds because bigger birds can't easily perch on them. Hopper and platform feeders, on the other hand, can attract birds of all sizes.

Picking the right bird feeder is just as important as choosing the right seeds.

• If you want to attract many small songbirds, a tube feeder is a great choice.
• Hopper feeders attract many different kinds of birds and can hold a lot of seed.
• Platform feeders attract the most types of birds, but the seeds can get wet or blow away in the wind more easily.

If you want to see even more kinds of birds, there are special feeders available. Some feeders are designed for suet, which attracts woodpeckers. Others hold nectar for hummingbirds and orioles, fruit for robins, or insects for bluebirds. There are also feeders made specifically for whole peanuts, sunflower hearts, and nyjer.

A Look Back: How the NBFS Started

The NBFS was created in 1989 with help from the Wild Bird Feeding Industry, which is a group for businesses that sell bird feeding products. In its early years, the NBFS sent out newsletters, gave learning materials to teachers, and held photo contests.

For almost 15 years, the NBFS mailed a newsletter called "The Bird’s-Eye reView" to its members every two months. This newsletter shared tips and stories about attracting wild birds. The society also made a "Kit for Kids" with materials for teachers. They also published two booklets: "The Story of Bird Feeding" and "The Dynamics of Bird Feeding." In those early days, they also had photo contests where people sent in pictures of birds at feeders or unusual visitors to their feeders.

Today, the NBFS continues to teach people about bird feeding and how to protect wild birds, both at home and in nature. The NBFS also supports National Bird-Feeding Month, which happens every February, to encourage more people to enjoy feeding birds.