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Bird Feeding Guidelines: Welcoming Our Feathered Friends Safely

Living in The Village at Castle Pines gives us a front-row seat to the beauty of nature, including a wonderful variety of local birds. Bringing these feathered neighbors closer to our homes can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but doing it responsibly is key to keeping the local ecosystem healthy.

Why Feed Backyard Birds?

The single greatest benefit of feeding backyard birds is the deeper connection to nature that it fosters for us. However, bird feeding is actually a subject of controversy among many wildlife experts, as it can cause unintentional harm if it isn’t done properly.

The primary risks of backyard feeding include luring birds to shared surfaces where contaminated feeders can spread diseases, or inadvertently attracting natural predators like hawks and outdoor cats. It is important to know that wild birds are fully capable of surviving without our supplemental feeding, even during the coldest months, thanks to many remarkable evolutionary adaptations.

That being said, winter bird feeding can successfully improve survival and breeding rates for certain species when conditions turn exceptionally harsh with extreme cold or heavy snow. If you choose to feed in the winter, focus on providing high-value, high-energy foods like suet, nyjer seeds, and black oil sunflower seed. Above all, ensuring that birds have continuous access to fresh water year-round is actually more critical than providing food.

When to Feed: Keeping Our Bears in Mind

To protect both our residents and local wildlife, The Village discourages providing birdfeeders during “bear season,” which spans from April 1 through November. However, our local bears can occasionally emerge from hibernation during the winter as well.

  • If you absolutely must feed during bear season, you must bring all feeders inside at night.
  • Even if you bring them in at night, do not be surprised if a bear visits to eat your birdseed and suet during the daytime.
  • Always remember that no birdfeeder is completely bear-proof.

A superior, safer alternative to traditional bird feeders is cultivating native plants in your yard to provide natural sustenance. For hydration, always provide fresh water; heated bird baths are an excellent option for supporting winter birds when natural sources freeze over.

The Do's and Don'ts of Feeding

To keep your backyard bird haven safe, clean, and bird-friendly, keep these essential practices in mind:

The Do’s

  • Provide high-quality nutrition: Stick to black-oil sunflower seed and suet, as they are the most nutritious options and attract the greatest diversity of bird species.
  • Reduce filler mess: Avoid seed mixes that are heavy in cracked corn or millet. Using shelled sunflower seeds can also drastically decrease the amount of spilled seed mess under your feeder.
  • Maintain cleanliness: Clean your seed feeders thoroughly every 1 to 2 weeks and keep the seed completely dry, as old or moldy seed can quickly become toxic.
  • Respond to illness: If you observe sick birds at your station, temporarily remove the feeders for 1 to 2 weeks and give them a deep cleaning.
  • Manage squirrels and spills: Use squirrel-resistant feeders to limit spillage. While suet or seed containing capsaicin (red pepper) can help discourage squirrels, it is not entirely foolproof. Always sweep up and remove spilt seed promptly to avoid attracting rodents, wild turkeys, or other unwanted wildlife. Birds feeding on ground spillage are also prime targets for hunting cats.
  • Follow strict hummingbird protocols: When feeding hummingbirds, use a solution of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water, and never use honey or brown sugar. Completely avoid adding red dyes to the mixture. Clean hummingbird feeders every 1 to 6 days; more frequent cleaning is required in hot weather to prevent toxic bacterial or fungal growth.

The Don’ts

  • Do not feed peanuts: Avoid feeding peanuts or peanut pieces entirely, as they are highly attractive to other larger wildlife, including bears.
  • Do not overcrowd feeders: Avoid placing too many bird feeders close together, as large congregations of birds heavily increase the risk of disease transmission.

Feeder Placement and Safety

Where you place your feeder is just as important as what you put inside it. To protect birds from dangerous window collisions, either place your feeder within 3 feet of a window or more than 30 feet away from it. Furthermore, unless your feeder is specifically engineered to be squirrel-proof, always place it at least 5 feet off the ground and at least 10 to 12 feet away from any structures or trees that squirrels could jump from.

Choosing the Right Feeder Guide

Different birds prefer different dining styles. Use this quick reference guide to select the right setup for your yard:

Feeder Type

Common Birds

Best Seed/Food

Pros & Cons

Tube Feeder

Chickadees, Nuthatches, Finches

Black oil sunflower seed

Pros: Keeps seeds dry in snow and limits waste; smaller ports deter jays.

Cons: Needs frequent cleaning to mitigate finch eye disease and other risks.

Hopper (House) Feeder

Nuthatches, Finches, Jays

Black oil sunflower or sunflower/safflower mix

Pros: Large capacity; roof protects seed from the elements.

Cons: Birds sit directly in the seed (higher disease risk); easily attracts squirrels.

Platform/Tray Feeder

Juncos, Doves, Spotted Towhees, Bluebirds

Sunflower chips, millet-free seed mix, mealworms

Pros: Excellent option for bird species that do not perch well.

Cons: High disease risk if not cleaned often; spilled seed easily attracts rodents.

Suet Feeder (Cage)

Nuthatches, Chickadees, Woodpeckers

Suet (plain or insect blend); use no-melt suet cakes in warm weather

Pros: Excellent high-energy winter calorie source.

Cons: Can melt or become rancid in hot weather; avoid using when it is over 85 degrees.

Nyjer (Thistle) Feeder

Goldfinches, Pine Siskin

Fresh nyjer seed

Pros: Very species-specific to target small finches.

Cons: The tiny seed spoils incredibly quickly if it gets damp or old.

Ground/Low Tray Feeder

Juncos, Spotted Towhees, Mourning Doves

Sunflower chips or white proso millet

Pros: Mimics natural ground-feeding behaviors and helps shy species.

Cons: Spilled seeds attract rodents; must never be placed near areas where a predator can hide.

Bluebird Feeder

Bluebirds

Mealworms (live or freeze-dried), berries, fruits, suet nuggets

Pros: Specialized designs with small entrances help deter larger competing species.

Cons: Must be kept clean; must be placed near open grassland with nearby perches while avoiding bushy shrubs.

Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbirds, and sometimes woodpeckers!

Plain nectar (white sugar and water at a 1:4 ratio; never exceed 1:3)

Pros: Provides an excellent, clean calorie source to supplement natural nectar.

Cons: Must be cleaned regularly to prevent toxic fungal or bacterial growth.