Feed The Birds

"Endorsed by the Canadian Wildlife Federation"--Cover.

Darryl Jones is fascinated by bird feeders. Not the containers supplying food to our winged friends, but the people who fill the containers, scatter the crumbs or seeds, or leave the picnic scraps behind for the birds. Here, Jones takes us on a wild flight through the history of bird feeding as he ponders this odd but seriously popular form of interaction between humans and wild animals. Jones digs at the deeper issues and questions of the practice of bird feeding, as he raises our awareness of the things we don't yet know and why we really should. This beautifully written and engaging books reveals that what at first seems to be a niche topic 7 humans feeding wild birds 7 is in fact something a disproportionate number of us do. Half the citizens of Australia, the UK, and the US feed birds, whether its by planting trees that attract them, putting food out on apartment balconies, setting up birds baths and feeders, or by unwittingly leaving scraps behind in parks. The international bird seed industry is huge and most of the seed is gown in India or Africa. Another way of describing all this activity is as an unplanned ecological experiment on an unbelievably large scale. In The Birds at My Table, Jones draws on an impressive knowledge of the latest scientific findings as well as his own personal knowledge, to reflect and explain the modern practice of bird feeding.

Today, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, more than fifty million Americans feed birds around their homes, and over the last sixty years, billions of pounds of birdseed have filled millions of feeders in backyards everywhere. Feeding Wild Birds in America tells why and how a modest act of provision has become such a pervasive, popular, and often passionate aspect of people’s lives. Each chapter provides details on one or more bird-feeding development or trend including the “discovery” of seeds, the invention of different kinds of feeders, and the creation of new companies. Also woven into the book are the worlds of education, publishing, commerce, professional ornithology, and citizen science, all of which have embraced bird feeding at different times and from different perspectives. The authors take a decade-by-decade approach starting in the late nineteenth century, providing a historical overview in each chapter before covering topical developments (such as hummingbird feeding and birdbaths). On the one hand, they show that the story of bird feeding is one of entrepreneurial invention; on the other hand, they reveal how Americans, through a seemingly simple practice, have come to value the natural world.

Carpenter offers practical tips and solutions to attracting and identifying birds. He offers suggestions for the best foods for the birds you want to see, and even tells you how to deter unwanted guests to feeding stations. You'll also learn how to properly store bird food, and how to prevent window strikes.

"It's up to every single one of us to do our bit for wildlife, however small our gardens, and The Butterfly Brothers know just how that can be achieved." Alan Titchmarsh Join the rewilding movement and share your outdoor space with nature. We all have the potential to make the world a little greener. Wild Your Garden, written by Jim and Joel Ashton (aka "The Butterfly Brothers"), shows you how to create a garden that can help boost local biodiversity. Transform a paved-over yard into a lush oasis, create refuges to welcome and support native species, or turn a high-maintenance lawn into a nectar-rich mini-meadow to attract bees and butterflies. You don't need specialist knowledge or acres of land. If you have any outdoor space, you can make a difference to local wildlife, and reduce your carbon footprint, too. "Wildlife gardening is one of the most important things you can do as an individual for increasing biodiversity and mitigating the effects of climate change. From digging a pond to planting a native hedge, the Butterfly Brothers can help you every step of the way." Kate Bradbury

When Swanda and her dog, Waldo, move to Brooklyn from the country, they miss the wildlife they left behind. Until they discover the pigeons. “Oh, look! What dear little birds! Come, Waldo, we’ll get them a bird feeder all their own.” But a bird feeder in the city attracts lots and lots and lots of birds — and the neighbors don’t like them, or their mess, one bit. So when Swanda is unable to fix things, her neighbors step in with their own Brooklynese solution: “SWANDA, YOU GOTTA STOP FEEDIN’ DA BOIDS!”

Feeding the Birds at Your Table is designed to provide detailed, comprehensive advice and suggestions for people wishing to feed wild birds in Australia from their own backyards and balconies. Millions of Australians feed wild birds in their gardens. Yet there is currently little information or advice on offer to tell them how to do this properly. This book provides the first readily available source of reliable information relevant to Australia. What’s more, it is written by an expert who feeds birds himself. Including profiles on different types of Australian urban birds, what to feed them and the types of feeders to use, it also has advice on how to create a bird-friendly garden. Feeding the Birds at Your Table offers sensible and practical suggestions so feeding doesn’t only benefit us, but benefits the birds themselves. ‘At last, a sensible, science-based guide to safely feeding wild birds in Australia.’ — Paul Sullivan, CEO, BirdLife Australia