Providing much needed nesting sites for wild birds has really evolved since backyard birding has become such a popular hobby. Today, decorative bird houses run the gamut from just a few bucks to hundreds of dollars for an artist’s piece of work. Hand made, high quality birdhouses and bird feeders that command attention while enticing and attracting feathered friends.
These copper roof decorative bird houses are constructed of PVC/vinyl and guaranteed to last a lifetime. Because it is the same vinyl used in the construction of people houses….you know it’s going to last. With little to no maintenance, the houses and feeders are a dream. Forget about squirrels gnawing on them, or weathers’ severe toll like their wooden counterparts. These houses and feeders are absolutely guaranteed to never crack, split or fade.
One of the great things with these vinyl and copper roof houses is that each piece is made to order, so you get to choose either a bright copper, or an aged patina copper roof. The other factor is the amazing quality. Hand crafted using a CNC router ensures absolute precision in each and every bird house and feeder. Some models are even available with a cypress shingle roof for a more rustic look.
Sizes range from a six-to-eight inch diameter house for bluebirds, all the way up to a jumbo 22-inch diameter for purple martin houses – which happen to be about four feet tall! From single compartments, to twelve compartments, with copper portals or perches, there are many great designs from which to choose. The roof shapes vary too, offering a bell, slope, or curly accent on the top of these wonderful decorative bird houses. They make an awesome and life-long gift for any backyard birder on your list!
Birdhouse designs need not be boring in order to be functional. These hand carved, and hand painted funny cat birdhouses are totally fun and functional. They have trap doors, or twist off bases for yearly clean-out, proper ventilation, and they offer feathered friends a cozy and safe nesting sit
e. Birds will also use houses to roost on cold winter nights, and for protection when Mr. Hawk or the neighbor’s cat visits the yard.
Crafted from a renewable, fast growth resource, albesia wood is durable and practical. Non toxic paints and finishes are used ensuring safety for birds and nestlings. Packaging is always recycled, saving landfills from more unnecessary waste. Several great cats to choose from, Tabbies, Siamese, Tuxedo, leaping or just chilling cats
These unique birdhouses make for excellent and long-lasting gifts, that will actually be used and enjoyed for many seasons. Especially for cat lovers, nature buffs and backyard birding enthusiasts will definitely get a kick out of the unique designs. Never any worries of the dreaded re-gifting with these great birdhouses.
Check them out!
With so many choices in wild bird feeders these days, it’s kinda difficult to decide what type to buy. There are standard hopper feeders, which tend to hold larger capacities, and platform feeders, for offering a variety of foods to birds. Fly-thru feeders are generally platforms with roofs to protect birds and food from the elements. You have suet feeders and meal worm feeders, then of course there are the popular tube feeders.
Tube bird feeders are wonderful for attracting many species, but one problem with them is limited perches or feeding ports. They usually allow only a certain number of birds to feed at once. Two, four, maybe six ports on most models. The spiral tube feeders accommodate more birds, as the designs allows for the whole tube to be accessed for food. Birds love to “run” the spiral and it makes for a great show too! These spiral feeders are available for thistle seed, (or nyjer) for feeding finches, peanuts for feeding jays, woodpeckers nuthatches, and for standard seed mixes too. The powder coat construction ensures many seasons of use, by feathered friends and human hosts alike.
And if you’re new to the great hobby of backyard birding, we can’t stress enough the importance of water. This is by far the best attractor for wild birds to your place. Fresh water in a bird bath will entice many more wild birds than just feeders alone. Especially in winter, a heated bath can be a life saver for many feathered friends!
A wild bird accessory that does more than one job?
One of the great thing about seed catchers is that they serve more than one purpose. First and foremost, they prevent ground waste, which in turn prevents weeds from popping up in the garden or lawn. This also creates a healthier habitat for backyard birds. Larger seed catchers also serve as platforms for other birds to feed on the fallen seed. Those who may not perch at the feeder itself, are apt to dine on the large, flat area. So you may end up attracting some new bird species.
This large 18.5-inch seed catcher is made for a any standard one-inch diameter pole. Because of the innovative design, it also acts as a squirrel baffle, and a good one at that! When squirrels shimmy up the pole, they can not get past the down-turned rim on the seed catcher. Like all Droll Yankees’ quality birding products, this seed catcher ensures many seasons of use and enjoyment. Bye Bye squirrels!
Most folks start with birdhouses and bird feeders to attract wild birds, and this is the perfect way to explore the great hobby of backyard birding. There are many other ways to increase the number of visitors and the number of species to your yard. Water is the number one element. Many birds who never visit a feeder will frequent a yard that offers a continuous fresh water source like a bird bath. Especially during frigid winters when water sources tend to freeze and become scarce, birds depend on a known spot for fresh water. Our bluebirds even over-wintered here in North Georgia, largely because of the three heated bird baths in the yard. Oh yes, the live mealworms helped too!
Many desired songbirds birds (like cardinals and finches) are not cavity-dwellers either, meaning they’ll never use a birdhouse.
Which brings us to yet another feathered friend favorite. Nesting materials are extremely important to birds in early spring. With a severe shortage in natural habitats, many depend on bird-friendly yards for their residence. There are all kinds of kits which offer refills too. This nesting material wreath is one, complete with feathers, cotton fibers, hemp, and raffia. The Bird Nester is a large, cage-like holder for cotton fiber nesting material, and offers refills as well. Even the Hummer Helper, which is nesting material designed specifically for hummingbirds offers refills.
Offering wild birds nesting materials in your yard really helps them to thrive and flourish. You can even craft your own materials using dryer lint, pet hair, cotton yarns, and mosses used in decorative floral design. Use a standard suet cage for holding the materials, or a mesh produce bag from the grocery store (like the kind apples come in). Late winter to very early spring is the best time to set them outside for birds. Simply hang from a tree branch, where they’ll be easily spotted, or even from one of the arms on your shepherd’s hook……happy birding!
Cavity dwelling birds face a very sad real estate problem…good homes are not so easy to come by these days. Mostly because of the vast destruction of natural habitat giving way to strip malls, schools, and more subdivisions. But also from the competition of non-native species. Just who brought over those House Sparrows anyway?
An educational and fun way to provide real nest sites for your feathered friends is with birdhouse kits. The standard wooden kits are widely availabl
e, even as bird feeders and bat house kits. Mostly crafted of durable cedar, they’ll provide many seasons of use and enjoyment. Lately, recycled plastics are the new craze in wild bird accessories, and they’re awesome as far as durability. Most are guaranteed to never crack, split or fade, plus they help to keep these plastics out of landfills. No worries of squirrels gnawing on them like traditional wooden bird accessories.
These recycled birdhouse kits have a unique design that’s fun to assemble, for little kids and big kids too. The groovy designs and vibrant colors are just plain fun, and best of all they provide great nesting sites, as well as roosting spots for wild birds. Th
e 1.25″ entrance is perfect for many small to medium-sized birds, and the perch is removable. These recycled plastic birdhouse kits add a splash of color in the yard, and will look great for years too.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – August 13, 2010 – “C’mon,” exclaims Susie Coston,
national shelter director for Farm Sanctuary, the nation’s leading farm
animal protection organization, with a swooping arm gesture reminiscent
of a child rallying her friends to follow her on an exciting adventure.
Six male Holstein calves, dairy farm castaways found just months earlier
on a Pennsylvania farm where they had been left to die without food or
water, one by one rise up on their now strong legs to follow their
charismatic leader out of the barn. Truth is, Coston is simply coaxing
them to rotate pastures, a necessary practice at the sanctuary, but
because of the love and affection she radiates for these calves, and for
the more than 500 other farm animals rescued from abuse and neglect who
reside at the shelter, her call is irresistible. These sweet boys would
follow her anywhere.
The sight of calves once too weak to stand bounding after Coston like
playful puppies is a joy that used to be reserved only for those lucky
enough to actually visit one of the organization’s bucolic bicoastal
shelters located in upstate New York and northern California, but now,
thanks to the launch of a new video series entitled Reel Life at Farm
Sanctuary, such exclusive sneak peeks at life behind Farm Sanctuary’s
barn doors will be available for anyone with a computer to see on a
monthly basis.
These fascinating v-logs, part of the nonprofit’s popular “Sanctuary
Tails” blog, will transport viewers straight to the beautiful, bustling
sanctuaries where they will follow the activities of shelter staff and
animal residents as they carry out their daily routines. In the first
exciting episode, Coston explains the importance of pasture rotation and
takes viewers right along as she shows the New York Shelter cattle,
sheep and goats that the grass really is greener in different parts of
the farm.
“We decided to do a video series because there is such abundance here at
Farm Sanctuary it would be greedy to keep all these sweet, funny,
joyful, and poignant moments that we witness on a daily basis all to our
ourselves,” enthused Coston. “By giving viewers an up-close look at the
wide range of emotions and strong friendships experienced by farm
animals, these v-logs will help inspire new ways of viewing and treating
these incredibly complex and intelligent beings, and hopefully move more
people towards treating them with compassion.”
You can view the first installment of Reel Life at Farm Sanctuary here
For more videos in this series, as well as
animal photos of the week and countless other inspiring stories from
shelter directors Susie Coston and Leanne Cronquist, keep checking Farm
Sanctuary’s “Sanctuary Tails”
If you would like to speak with Farm Sanctuary National Shelter Director
Susie Coston, please contact Meredith Turner at 646-369-6212 or
mturner@farmsanctuary.org .
About Farm Sanctuary
Farm Sanctuary is the nation’s leading farm animal protection
organization. Since incorporating in 1986, Farm Sanctuary has worked to
expose and stop cruel practices of the “food animal” industry through
research and investigations, legal and institutional reforms, public
awareness projects, youth education, and direct rescue and refuge
efforts. Farm Sanctuary shelters in Watkins Glen, N.Y., and Orland,
Calif., provide lifelong care for hundreds of rescued animals, who have
become ambassadors for farm animals everywhere by educating visitors
about the realities of factory farming. Additional information can be
found at farmsanctuary.org or by calling 607-583-2225.
There’s something about hand crafted items that makes them a little special. Beside the aesthetic value, it’s knowing that an individual used their artistic ability to create the piece. Just what went into that, as far as thought and feeling… one will never know?
Wild bird accessories that are hand made are ones of highest quality, ensuring many seasons of use and enjoyment. Which is very opposite of the mass production of China. This glass bird feeder is hand blown by an artist in Mexico, and each piece has it
‘s own character.
Other artists work with stoneware, which is high-fired and withstands the elements well. Weatherproof stoneware looks similar to glass, but is usually heavier and always opaque, or solid. This large capacity stoneware feeder is a true work of art, and available in six colors.
When buying a bird feeder, the best one is the one you will maintain. Fresh seed in a clean bird feeder is the number one factor. It will attract more birds and keep them coming back again and again. And for a unique and lasting gift that will actually be used and appreciated, a hand crafted glass bird feeder wins hands-down.
In order to entice bluebirds, sometimes their very favorite food must be offered. And meal worms happen to be what’s on the menu over here. Live mealworms are best, but dried or roasted ones will also work. One of the problems is that many species really enjoy mealworms, and you can find your supply dwindling quickly if fed in an open tray-type or dish feeder. Live mealworms are available in bulk quantities should this become habit forming too. They’re simple to store…just place in in a container in your fridge. Air holes are needed, but the worms stay in a dormant state until warmed up by the sun or room temperatures.
A mealworm feeder that’s made especially for bluebirds is one that is enclosed, in fact they’re called Bluebird Feeders. Consisting of two, four, or sometimes six entrances, they have clear acrylic panels for closures, and they’re meant for bluebirds only. Some feeders have a dish in the center for the worms, while others have a recessed circle for them. The birds must fly into the feeder to retrieve the worms, and very few species will try this. But somehow, the natural instinct of bluebirds tells them to do so.
It’s amazing to watch, especially when parent bring babies over at feeding time. At first the chicks don’t understand how to get inside, but they learn quickly. And once they learn how to get the food, they frequent the feeder often. This has got to be one of the best scenes of backyard birding!
Available in standard wooden models, mealworm feeders also come in recycled plastic versions. The advantage with 
recycled plastic is that the feeder will never crack, split, or rot like wood tends to do over the years. Also keeping plastics out of landfills is huge plus to the environment.
Now I wish the nasty starling who tried to shove himself through one of the entrances would’ve gotten stuck there!
Offering a variety of foods will attract more species of wild birds to your feeders. Seed feeders are wonderful for many birds, but some have no interest in them at all. Suet is another food (especially in winter) that will entice more feathered friends.
Peanuts are an absolute favorite of many birds. Jays, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Grosbeaks, (and even Bluebirds in winter) will chow down on peanuts. Some birds prefer shelled peanuts, while others will go for whole peanuts too. Squirrels on the other hand, will eat any peanuts!
Adding one or even two peanut bird feeders to your existing setup will definitely entice more species to your yard. Most of these feeders are made from metal and durable stainless steel, but wooden models are also available. If pesky squirrels are a problem, be sure to install a quality squirrel baffle to keep them away from feeders. If you enjoy feeding squirrels, there are peanut bird feeders like this innovative and fun whole peanut metal wreath feeder. It suits both squirrels and birds….providing the little piglets leave some food for the birds!
As always, be sure to offer a fresh water source like a birdbath, as this will increase the number of species and sheer numbers of visitors to your place.