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LIFESTYLE
NATURE
Text by NEEL CHRILLESEN
Photography by LALA LA PHOTO
s d r i b e t i v n I e c a l p r u o y o t will d birds by feeding them Making life easier for wilments of enter tainment and joy. also give you many mo
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n a world where the quest for happiness and serenity is increasingly linked to yoga, mindfulness and a green or gluten-free diet, it’s nice to know there are also other ways to find solace. One of the more unexpected ones is feeding wild birds. It puts you in contact with nature, lowers your stress levels and is even said to improve your mental health. “When I bought a feeding table for the garden two years ago, I had no idea how much pleasure it would bring the whole family,” says Walferdange resident Alan. “The first year we had mainly tits, sparrows, blackbirds and the occasional nuthatch, but this year we’ve had woodpeckers, bullfinches and goldfinches too. We can see them from our kitchen window and spend a lot of time studying their behaviour and looking them up. It’s fun and educational, both for the kids and the adults!” The shops start displaying feeding tables in the autumn, but many birders put out food all year round. “The guidelines for this vary from country to country. In the UK for example, it’s considered a ‘must’ to feed all year round. In Luxembourg, we just say it’s fine to do it,” explains Mikis Bastian, from the ornithological centre of the natur&ëmwelt association (pictured). “Actually, the beginning of spring is often a hard period for birds as they don’t yet have access to a lot of insects and berries. Later on, feeding helps out the parents who need energy to tend to their young. And obviously, when the weather gets colder, feeding increases survival rates, especially of the juvenile birds. Out of 100 birds hatched this summer, only about 30 will be alive next year.” When choosing a feeding table, opt for one with a roof (wet bird food gets mouldy and poisonous) and keep in mind that the lower the roof, the more difficult it will be for bigger birds to access. This is especially worth thinking about if you live in an area with greedy wood pigeons, imposing magpies or opportunistic starlings--all of which have a tendency to leave little room or food for others. “Magpies are very intelligent and will always find a way, but they will go more
for suet balls than loose seeds,” says Bastian. “To keep out pigeons and such you can put mesh around the feeder so only small-sized birds can get in. Blackbirds prefer eating on the ground anyway.” Hanging tube or suet feeders are also a good way to offer different types of food to a larger variety of birds. While it’s good to place both table and hanging feeders near natural shelters such as trees and scrubs so birds have a place to retreat if necessary, keep possible hiding places for cats at a few meters distance. Not that you need a garden to attract birds: plenty of people have feeders on their balconies and get loads of visitors. As for placing feeders near windows so you can get a perfect view, it is not as bad an idea as one might think. Though thousands of birds are killed each year by window collisions, research has actually shown that placing feeders about one meter from a window leads to fewer deadly incidents, as the impact of startled birds with the glass is lighter and less likely to cause injury. One of the pleasures of feeding wild birds is learning about the specificities of each one. Soon, you’ll go from knowing the difference between a great tit and a blue tit to hearing if that noise outside it is a nuthatch terrorising a sparrow or a female blackbird telling off a male. Next thing you know, you’ll be trying to tell a marsh tit from a willow tit (good luck with that!). Which birds you attract depends on the area
you live but also upon which food you offer. Don’t start out with the usual commercial bags of mixed seeds. Birds can be surprisingly picky. Sunflower hearts will however be a hit with most, as will mealworms and (non-salted and preferably crushed) peanuts--a sure hit with woodpeckers and nuthatches. And of course, fat and suet balls make good winter foods. “Blackbirds and robins are fond of soft food, like raisins or old apples that you can put on the ground or impale on a branch and goldfinches prefer nyger [thistle seeds],” adds Bastian. Be assured though, when you’re short of delicacies, a little cooked pasta, grated cheese or boiled potatoes will be momentarily accepted too.
October 2015
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