Croatian bird portal
Nature is like a giant toy box. It consists of many wonderful pieces we can love and enjoy. One of the most interesting, lively and essential elements we can find in nature are birds. They brighten up our gloomy winter, and fill our woods and gardens with their melodious songs in the spring. Some bird lovers even keep a few varieties indoors as companions.
It does not matter where birds reside, getting to know them can be fun. Just think about it, what do we really know about sparrows, finches, buntings, flycatchers, redwings, blackbirds, swallows, falcons, larks, woodpeckers, cuckoos, owl, buzzards, eagles and pelicans, just to name a few of our sky-flying cohorts ? We may have seen documentaries, but to really study them, may be more fascinating than you think. Just ask the many bird lovers walking the trails as often as they can, hoping to get a glance of a rare specimen, or an example of an unusual or mutated species.
Taking care of our feathered friends at home can be quite a rewarding and fulfilling activity as well. Parakeets, or budgies, cockatiels, finches and canaries, lories, parrots, macaws, and cockatoos are some of the most favorite birds kept as companions. Although mostly restricted to their cages, some owners will occasionally let their birds fly freely inside their home. This will give the bird a chance to spread its wings and get some much needed exercise, which they need as much as their caring owner.
How to attract birds - Featured
One sunny day walking down the street, a man holding binoculars comes up to you and asks: “Can you help me find some warm-blooded, bipedal egg-laying vertebrates, creatures mainly characterized by their physical appearance of feathers and modified forelimbs looking like wings?”
After the initial surprise has faded, and you reexamined his question, you will realize that all this curious ornithologist is looking for are ‘birds’. With over 10,000 species worldwide, these living beings meet all this stranger’s requirements and more.
Bird watching is a popular and exciting hobby and the easiest way to attract birds outdoors is to buy feeders and seeds. If you have a yard you can also plant trees and shrubs native to the area, but determine first which birds are local, what specific plant life attracts them, and how they like to nest. Offering shelter is also a great way to attract birds, just make sure that birdhouses and nest boxes have adequate ventilation and the opening is supplied with a "baffle" and reinforcement ring so no predators can enter. You can also supply nesting material such as hair, string, yarn pieces, twigs or other fibers; just do not keep it next to the feeder, as the commotion of other birds may discourage breeders from using the shelter.
Birds have no teeth and cannot chew their food. Therefore they have to swallow bits of sand that help grind the food in their gizzard. Providing some type of grit is highly recommended, especially crushed eggshells. This substance also provides calcium, which is needed for egg-laying. Just make sure to bake the eggshells first, as the heat will kill Salmonella and other pathogens.
Birds are fascinated by the sound of dripping or moving water and birdbaths or shallow ponds with a fountain can create just the right surroundings they prefer. If you have limited resources you can make your own water source by hanging a water-filled container with a hole on the bottom above a dish. Make sure the dish is deep enough to hold adequate amounts of water and refresh it frequently. Also avoid placing the water source near trees or bushes where predators can hide. It could really limit the amount of visitors to your bird sanctuary!