Most people think they should feed the birds that visit their backyards during the fall and winter months, but if you feed them year round they will visit your feeders during the spring and summer months as well.  A steady supply of seeds may encourage more batches to be hatched out, and babies keep the parents very busy going back and forth to find feed for them.

Birds can be pretty picky about what they eat, and where they eat it.  The following chart gives the food, feeding, bathing and nesting preferences of 12 of the most common backyard visitors in North America.

BIRD                         FOOD                       FEEDER PREFERENCE            BATH     NESTING

Robin       Hulled sunflwrs/mealworms   tray on post, ground              yes       trees, ledges

Chickadee Sun/safflower seed/niger       tubes, trays, cages                 yes      cavity, house

Titmouse   black oil sunflower                  tubes, trays, cages                 yes      cavity, house

Hummingbird  Nectar, sugar water           flowers, feeders                  mister      tree branch

Grosbeak   sunflower seeds                    tray on post or table               yes      tree branch

Doves           mixed seeds                          ground, trays                          yes      trees, boxes

Goldfinch       sunflower seeds/niger          tubes, trays                            yes       tree

Cardinal        black oil sun/safflower           trays                                       yes     shrubbery

Finch            sun/safflower/niger                tubes, trays                            yes     shrubs,pots

Bluebird       mealworms                           trays on posts                        yes       house by field

Orioles         sugar water, oranges           feeders, trays                        yes      tree branch

Jays             peanuts, sunflowers               ground, trays                          yes      tree

Feeding year round is not a gaurantee you will see your summer visitors year round.  You have to remember some birds migrate.  Contrary to common thinking, birds will not become overly dependant upon your feeders and starve to death if you suddenly stop feeding them.  They will simply rely on other sources of food.  Bird feeders usually contribute about 25% of the total diet of birds.  If temperatures drop below freezing in your area, the feed from feeders may help some birds survive the cold, especially if snow has covered other feed sources.

So, get ready to wake up to the sound of birdsong.  You may also get to see some chicks being raised and learning how to fly.  I especially enjoy seeing birds take baths.  Plan a place where you can sit out of the way of the feeders and still observe the birds.  You will want to place feeders at least 20 feet away from your greenhouse to prevent messes on the glass and accidents to the birds.  Bird mesh will also keep them from trying to fly into the glass in the summer.  A chair inside your greenhouse makes a great vantage point for observing birds while they go about their business.