Feeding Insect-Eating Birds

• Many birds are insectivores, which means that they eat insects. Insects provide a vital source of nutrients that certain species of birds don't get from seeds and fruit alone. Feeding these birds is very easy and does not involve filling a bird feeder with bugs. Suet is an excellent substitute, and the birds love it.
  
  

Suet

• Suet is made from beef kidney fat and can be picked up at most meat counters. It is inexpensive and will provide the same nutrients to birds as eating insects. In hot weather the suet will need to be changed regularly before it goes bad. This will be apparent, because the birds will avoid that feeder.
  
  

Seed-Eating Birds

• Many small birds prefer a diet of seeds. Choosing the right seeds for a feeder can be difficult, as there are dozens of types to choose from. The shape of a bird's beak can give you a clue as to whether it eats seeds. A curved, sharp beak is indicative of seed-cracking ability in a bird.
  
  Picking a feeder also can be problematic, because squirrels often steal seeds from feeders.
  
  

Types of Seed to Feed

• One of the best seeds to begin with is black oil sunflower seeds. They are small enough to be cracked open by smaller birds, and they have a high fat and oil content compared with other popular seeds. Black oil sunflower seeds are enjoyed by many species of birds, such as finches, woodpeckers, sparrows, cardinals and jays, to name just a few.
  
  

Feeding Hummingbirds

• Hummingbirds are one of the most spectacular birds to visit a garden. Attracting them to a feeder is very easy and does not require much maintenance. Hummingbirds eat nectar, which is essentially sugar and water combined. A ratio of one part sugar to four parts water is all that is needed to make nectar. Just dissolve the sugar in boiling water, let it cool, and fill the feeders to bring these beautiful creatures to the garden.
  
  In hot weather, be sure to change the nectar frequently and clean the feeder, because the warmth can turn the solution bad and discourage hummingbirds instead of encouraging them.