The Joy of Bird Feeding The Essential Guide to Attracting and Feeding Our Backyard Birds

Now in a second edition, The Joy of Bird Feeding is the ultimate reference for backyard bird watchers and bird feeders. It offers practical tips and solutions to attracting and identifying birds, offering the best foods for the birds you want to see, and how to deter those unwanted guests to feeding stations. Each chapter focuses on an important aspect of the hobby and guides readers to the essential steps of bird feeding mastery: Founder of Wild Birds Unlimited, Jim Carpenter brings a lifelong passion for birds and bird feeding along with real solutions to make anyone's backyard a paradise for the birds and for bird watchers.

Jim Carpenter was raised in southern Indiana. During his childhood he discovered his fondness for the natural world, especially while visiting his grandparents’ home in the country, where his grandmother introduced him to hummingbirds, shrikes, mockingbirds and other interesting birds and wild things. After earning a B.A. in Biology from Indiana University (1975) and a Masters Degree in Horticulture/Plant Physiology from Purdue University (1979), Jim managed two Indianapolis-area garden centers and a produce stand, which was where he first learned the basics of the retail trade. In 1981, Jim opened a 700 square foot retail shop on the north side of Indianapolis and named it Wild Birds Unlimited. This unique shop, one of the few open in North America at the time, specialized in all of the supplies that help people attract and enjoy birds in their backyard. Jim married Nancy in 1983 and together they built the company until Nancy stepped back in 1995 to focus on raising their two daughters. Jim also took on a business partner, Dick Schinkel, in 1983 to start Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. in order to sell and support Wild Birds Unlimited franchise stores. Jim became 100 percent owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. in 1989 when he purchased Dick Schinkel’ s shares in the company. Today, there are 300 Wild Birds Unlimited stores in the United States and Canada offering high quality products and customer service to people who love to feed the birds.

Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: The five steps to bird feeding mastery Step 1: Offer feeder-free bird food to discover which foods work Step 2: Continue offering the foods that work Step 3: Consider the 12 elements of a thoughtful bird feeding station Step 4: Improve your bird habitat to attract even more birds Step 5: Become seasonally savvy Chapter 2: Thoughtful bird feeding station elements in detail The 12 Elements of a thoughtful bird feeding station Feeder choices 1. Foundational feeder 2. Tray feeder 3. Fat feeder 4. Finch feeder 5. Nectar, jelly, and fruit feeders 6. Snacks, specialty and convenience feeders Water 7. Year-round water source Nearby branches and landing surfaces 8. Gathering and perching branches 9. Woodpecker and nuthatch landing spots Feeder locations 10. Thoughtful feeder placement 11. Multiple feeding stations Basic critter solutions 12. Station is free of squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon, nuisance bird, and cat problems Photo Gallery: “ The Oufitter” Chapter 3: The birds Why are these birds in my backyard, and how did they find my feeders? Why are these birds in my backyard? How do birds find feeders? Which of these birds are in my backyard? A field guide to birds at feeders Chapter 4: The foods Foundational feeder blends Bird food preference chart What natural foods does bird food mimic? Guide to the foods we offer at our feeders Chapter 5: The feeders Feeder choices: the first six elements of a thoughtful bird feeding station Foundational feeders Tray feeders Fat feeders Finch feeders Nectar, Jelly, and fruit feeders Snacks, specialty and convenience feeders Fun and whimsical feeders Combinations Feeder accessories What to look for in features and construction quality Tray feeder Classic hopper feeder EcoClean tube feeder Hummingbird feeder Tail-prop suet feeder Chapter 6: Poles, hangers, and baffles Six ways to place your feeders where you want them Hanging feeders from tree branches Hanging feeders from poles Feeders on top of poles Feeders on decks Feeders on fences and walls Window feeders Chapter 7: Critter solutions Squirrels, squirrels, squirrels! Raccoons in the pantry? Other critter problems Chipmunks Rats Black bears Deer Too many blackbirds/European Starlings/Rock Pigeons/House Sparrows Bird bullies Hawk-safe bird feeding Cat-safe bird feeding Chapter 8: Situations and solutions At the feeders or nearby New feeder, no birds Yard on steep slope New yard in subdivision with few trees Seasonally low activity No snow or no cold weather No goldfinches at feeder Mess on deck Mess under feeder Window strikes Fighting reflection in window Woodpecker damage Finding an orphaned bird Finding an injured bird Finding a sick bird Weather situations Lots of rain Lots of humidity Lots of snow and freezing rain Lots of wind Really hot temperatures Different living situations The elderly in their own homes The elderly in retirement centers Stress centers Hospice care Vacations Apartments and condominiums Chapter 9: Buying and storing bird food Why buy bird food in a specialty shop Shop like a pro at any store Understanding the labels on bird food bags Storing bird food My bird food storage setup Bird food shopping list Chapter 10: Common-sense bird feeding hygiene Guidelines to help your birds stay safe and healthy Information and advice about four wild bird diseases Cleaning tools Chapter 11: Fun bird feeding activities Hand-feeding the birds in one day Choosing the right binoculars Field guides: paper and digital Photographing birds on feeders Bringing kids and nature together Watching the birds when you are not home Getting involved with citizen science