Blog de Puree

Bird enthusiasts, mark your calendars for the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count, from February 16-19!

The event was developed and managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in conjunction with the National Audubon Society. Both their sites are highly recommended by us as great online ornithology resources. According to a favorite blog of ours, 10,000birds.com, the event is “a celebration of the symbiosis enjoyed by backyard feeder-watchers and the birds they watch feed.”

So how does it work?

Over the course of those four days, Americans count the birds in their backyards, side yards, front yards, wherever. Then they report their sightings to the benefit of bird scientists, bird watchers and ultimately, our fine feathered friends. Record how many birds you see at a given time, and of what species, then report your figures to the Great Backyard Bird Count. It’s that simple.

Want to know how to attract birds to your back yard? Also simple. Sunflower seeds are the favorite of our winged friends. But a wider variety of seed, certain chopped fruits, nuts and other assorted treats will attract a wider variety of birds. Most super markets will have a decent assortment of wild bird feeds in the pet aisle to get you started.

Good luck and happy bird watching.