There is no better way to attract wild birds to your lawn than to offer something they would like to eat. The only problem is, many people don’t know what birds like. Although there are wild bird food supplies readily available in the market, you need not splurge on them. Many foods found in our kitchens are suitable for wild birds. However, remember that not all bird species prefer the same food. Below, we’ve listed foods that many wild birds commonly eat.
Sunflower seeds
Dozens of bird species enjoy feasting on sunflower seeds, and many people consider them the most popular foods among birds. There are multiple varieties of sunflower seeds. Among them, black oil and hulled sunflower seeds are birds’ favorite. That’s because black oil shells are thin and easy to crack open, and hulled seeds already have their shells removed. Another great thing about sunflower seeds is that they are inexpensive and easy to find.
Nyjer seeds
Commonly known as thistle, nyjer seeds are tiny, black seeds full of healthy oils and fats. These seeds are particularly liked by birds with small beaks, such as a goldfinch, purple finch, house finch, and chickadee. Since these seeds are imported from different parts of the world, they can be expensive. Also, keep in mind that wild birds prefer nyjer seeds fresh, so make sure you’re not offering spoiled ones. Some people also recommend buying a feeder that is designed to help birds eat tiny seeds.
Peanuts
Nearly all homes have peanuts, so you don’t need to go looking for food supplies in the supermarket to feed wild birds. Peanuts are rich in fats and protein, and birds are constantly on the lookout for such nutrient-dense meals. So, crush or grate a bunch of peanuts, put them in the feeder, get ready to watch flocks of jays, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and chickadees in your lawn.
Safflower seeds
Safflower seeds are oil seeds that are slightly smaller than black oil sunflower seeds. They also have a tougher shell, so it’s not suitable for all birds. Some colorful species like finches, chickadees, and cardinals are obsessed with safflower seeds. Another reason you must consider putting these seeds in your feeder is that squirrels don’t find them attractive, so they likely won’t gobble them up, leaving everything for birds.
Fruits
Various species of wild birds, including some elusive ones, love fruits. If you’re particularly interested in attracting orioles, try laying sliced oranges around your house. You can even offer grapes and sliced apples and bananas at your feeder to draw many birds. Many people also feed dried fruits like raisin, as they’re easy to store in the house. Before offering raisins to birds, soften them by soaking in warm water for a while.
If you love watching birds, you may already own a pair of binoculars. There are many ways to attract birds around your residence. One of the easiest ways to attract more birds to your backyard is to invest in a birdhouse and find a safe spot for it. There’s a lot that goes into choosing wild bird supplies, and one of which includes picking out a birdhouse. We’ll help you with choosing the right one.
Every bird belongs to a type of birdhouse
Yes, it’s true. All birds vary in size and shape, and so do their needs to nest in. Let’s go by examples to understand this better. Bluebirds are a species that needs to feel safe; hence they prefer nesting in birdhouses that are intimate. The entry should be about 1 ½ inch in diameter, and it should be away from the floor to prevent predators from attacking their eggs or babies. Contrary to these needs, Purple Martins love to nest in colonies and prefer having more than one entrance to their nests. So, depending on what birds are native to where you reside should be your first step of research before you buy a birdhouse.
Understanding the materials of a birdhouse
Birdhouses are available in many sizes, shapes, and materials. There are birdhouses made of wood, metal, fabric, ceramic, plastic, and gourd, among others. They should all be easily available at wild bird supplies stores. But you may want to pay attention to the cons of each material. The plastic ones are light and cheap but won’t last very long. As for the metal ones, they can’t protect the birds from the hot or cold weather. Birdhouses made from fabric may attract many birds, but they could fail to protect the birds from rains and harsh, stormy weather. Wood and gourd are your best options but let us enlighten you that the birds absolutely love nesting in gourds. It gives them more space to thrive than in gourds, claims many sources.
Types of birdhouses
Keeping their size, shape, and materials aside, there’s another aspect you may want to decide before stepping into a wild bird supply store. Birdhouses can either be mounted, hung by the roof or a tree, or can be mounted against the walls or fences. Look for a spot your native birds may be comfortable living in and make a choice accordingly. Some birds like to be at a certain height, some like being amidst nature, and may even be comfortable being around a human home. One has to do thorough research on specific bird species and their living preferences.
Birdwatching does not mean grabbing a pair of binoculars and hiking up a mountain anymore. You can easily attract birds into your backyard with bird feeders without even having to know much about them. That said, choosing the right feeder can get a little difficult. To ease it down for you, here’s a list of five bird feeders you can choose from.
At times make it a mandatory habit to switch off the phone, which will help in saving on battery life as well as give your fingers and brain the much-needed rest. Keeping phone turned on for prolonged hours even without using it, results in unwanted consumption of the battery. So if you plan to sleep or are scheduled to attend long meetings make it a point to switch off your cell phone. In addition to this if your phone has a power saving feature ensure to switch it on.
Strike a balance
Lackadaisical behavior on the part of charging and discharging the cell phone battery may eventually hamper the battery life. We are quite habituated to either full charge or fully discharge the cell phone battery. Cases of swollen cell phone batteries or battery blasts are common if you follow this habit. Make sure to charge your phone before it is fully discharged and disconnect once it’s fully charged. Some people also tend to keep their cell phone on charge throughout the night. If you are one of these, then detach yourself from this habit to avoid any mishaps that may occur because of overheating of the cell phone batteries.
Cut off the extra
Cell phones today come with a special feature of backlight adjustment mode which allows you to check your phone in broad day light. However, it comes with an added disadvantage of excess battery consumption. If it is not extremely important to try and avoid using the backlight feature of your phone. Conserve on the battery energy by minimizing the time of usage of the backlight. The brightness adjustment feature is another reason for the early withering of a cell phone battery.
We tend to use maximum brightness while using our cell phones, due to which the cell phone battery drains at double the speed. To save on battery lives try and keep the phone brightness sufficient enough for you to understand the content. This will also help in putting less strain on your eyes as well as will help in extending your cell phone battery life.
A prominent part of diabetes treatment includes taking medications and maintaining a healthy weight. You might be steadfast in keeping your diabetes under control, and you are probably doing all the ‘right’ things: exercising, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, maintaining food records, and so on. Yet, you have probably noticed that the scale doesn’t seem to budge despite all of your efforts.
In such case, your weight gain might be due to your diabetes medicines. This trait has been observed in about 70% of the population in the United States who are overweight due to the same reason. It is a fact that diabetes medications are active in reducing blood glucose, but they can also increase your weight.
Diabetes and weight gain
Diabetes and weight gain go hand in hand. According to the National Institutes of Health, 85% of the people who have type 2 diabetes are either obese or overweight. Most individuals with type 1 diabetes have an affiliation towards weight gain as well.
People with diabetes can significantly reduce their risks associated with the condition by managing their ideal body weight.
Insulin is to be blamed
Insulin can be blamed, as it can be instrumental in adding those extra pounds. Insulin’s essential role in the body is to boost nutrient absorption, receive glucose from the blood and store the energy in the cells for later use. So, insulin intrinsically encourages weight gain.
Insulin sulfonylureas and meglitinides may add to the overall body weight by limiting the amount of glucose discharged in the urine, which influences the body to absorb the glucose again and store it as fat.
One of the most effective diabetes medications, insulin secretagogues, causes the pancreas to manufacture and discharge insulin that can lead to weight gain. Certain popular diabetes medications such as Amaryl, Glucotrol, Glynase, and Micronase may also result in weight gain.
Other ways diabetes medications can add to overall body weight:
So, the medicines that you take to manage diabetes do affect your weight. Hence, talk to your doctor about measures to counter this issue.
We often think of how to make our vehicles safer and more comfortable so that our family can sit back and relax on a journey. While choosing the right vehicle can make a lot of difference, choosing the right tires while replacing the original ones can be a life-changing experience and with Discount tires, you can save money as well. Tires are also important for the protection of various parts of the car.
For example, you are driving on a bumpy road and your tires go flat, unable to take the pressure. Well, your engines could get affected adversely and also your outer structure of the car can be damaged in a serious way if it falls down on one side.
So, to avoid any of these unnecessary situations, all you need to do is choose the right tire and fix it properly. With tires from Discount Tire, you can get the best deal around your area and can save some money on the best product.
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