For those of you that have been living under a bird feeder for the last twenty years, February is National Bird Feeding Month! That’s right ladies and gentlemen, a full month dedicated to our feathered friends. On February 23rd 1994, Congressman John Porter, of Illinois, presented the following to the Congressional Record:
“Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize February, one of the most difficult months in the United States for wild birds, as National Bird-Feeding Month. During this month, individuals are encouraged to provide food, water, and shelter to help wild birds survive. This assistance benefits the environment by supplementing wild birds’ natural diet of weed seeds and insects. Currently, one third of the U.S. adult population feeds wild birds in their backyards.”
Well, Mr. Porter, we here at Jolly Lane salute you! In celebrating the season, we want to encourage you all to take part in National Bird Feeding Month. It’s a great time to stock the bird feeder, fill up the bird bath with some warm water, and enjoy some hot cocoa as you watch the winter birds swoop in for a bite and a bath! If you don’t have a bird feeder, or bird house, stop in and see us. We have a great selection of feeders, houses, and bird seed.
National Bird Feeding Month is also a great time to get your young one’s involved in the highly enjoyable hobby of bird watching. Getting your children interested in bird watching is a great way for them to develop a healthy curiosity about our planet, and encourages research and education. Add another feeder to your yard, and attract different species of birds to your home. Enjoy identifying the various species that you see, and have your kids keep a journal of their spottings. We’re not sure who will have the bigger smile, the kids, when they identify various birds plucking seeds from the feeder, or you, when you see the joy on their faces!
If you’d like to take things a step further, and be a part of some real scientific research, you can participate in this year’s 22nd annual Great Backyard Bird Count. It takes place from February 15-18th, and is a fun, free, and easy event that encourages people from all over the world to help better understand bird populations. All it takes is fifteen minutes, your backyard, and a little curiosity. You can find more information about the Great Backyard Bird Count here; https://www.audubon.org/conservation/about-great-backyard-bird-count
With all the interesting and fun things we encourage during National Bird Feeding Month, it’s easy to forget the other side of things. That is the fact that these frigid Mid-West winters can be extremely difficult for wild birds. They can struggle to find food, which is essential to keeping them healthy, and to find shelter from the blistering winds. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to lend a hand to the bird population by placing a feeder, bird bath, or bird house in your yards. A little relief from the elements can go a long way for our feathered friends, and keep them thriving long into the future.
If you need help in choosing a feeder, house, or stocking up on bird seed this winter, come see us at Jolly Lane Greenhouse. We’ll be happy to get you ready for bird watching season!