Feeding Birds in the Spring and Summer

We were recently asked if it was acceptable to feed birds in the Spring and Summer when so much natural food is available.  The folks at the Cornell Lab for Ornithology had this to say…….

Yes, it is. Some people prefer not to feed birds when natural food is abundant. However, during spring and fall migration (which begins in late July!), bird feeders can be very welcome sources of food for exhausted migrants. During exceptionally cold, rainy spells, bird feeders can even save some songbirds’ lives.

In the summer, there is usually plenty of natural food available for resident birds, but parent birds may take occasional quick breaks at a feeder in between searching for insects to feed their hungry nestlings. They do fine without this help, though, so the choice is entirely yours.

Suet spoils more quickly in hot weather, and may also soften, adhering to belly feathers. If this happens to a woodpecker or other bird feeding on suet, and then the bird returns to a nest, the surface of the eggs may become greasy, and some of the pores that get air to the developing chick may become plugged. So summer suet-feeding is usually not a good idea.

Bird feeders may provide a special boost to busy parent birds, but another danger in summer feeding is when adults bring their fledglings to feeders. Seed, jelly, and suet don’t contain enough protein for young birds still growing muscle, bone, and feather tissue. If you notice the same family with fledglings visiting your feeder more than once a day, close it down for a week or so, until the young birds are farther along in their development.

Summer feeding does entail a few other risks because many disease organisms grow more rapidly as temperatures rise. To ensure a safe bird-feeding environment, change hummingbird nectar every three days—more often during extreme heat. Rake up and dispose of wet or moldy birdseed regularly. Change water in birdbaths daily.