Regional Nature Museums Harriman State Park

Backyard Birding

make your own bird feeders

Learn to make hummingbird food by clicking here

Spice Jar (Hummingbird)

This one is pretty easy to do, take an old glass spice container and clean it real well. Next you want to add a fuzzy craft wire or other long enough wire to wrap around the jar and make a loop. This one is attached to a window using a suction cup. then fill with hummingbird food.

mason jar (Hummingbird)

The tiny jelly jars work best, you can either make a plastic lid with an old flexible container lid cut to size with holes punched in or you can save a grated cheese lid. They fit really nicely. A wire cutter and some wire complete the job.

Egg carton

Cut an egg carton and tie with a string or yarn!

Juice bottle

Take a juice bottle and cut a window out near the bottom, tie a string or rope and hang.

Peanut butter or shortening feeders

Peanut butter and shortening on a wreath or pine cone covered in seed is a great and sometimes decorative way to feed the birds. Our pine cone feeder has dried apple and raisin eyes and a peanut beak.

Backyard feeding PRECAUTIONS!!

Backyard bird feeders may also attract other animals. Some are a welcome addition while others may not be.
Cats
If you have an outdoor cat or if there are feral cats in your neighborhood you will want to protect your birds from predication. One way is to put a tray under your seed feeders so that seed does not make it to the ground, this prevents the birds from feeding there where they are more likely to get injured or eaten.
Bears
Bears are prevalent in many location in New York, communities near Harriman State Park have had bears travel through quite frequently. If you live in an area that bears are likely to visit, bird feeders are a great way to attract them to your yard. If you keep a feeder and have a bear come visit. Safely remove it immediately so the bear/bears do not return.

Feeding water fowl

Everyone loves to go to their local park and feed the ducks and geese, please be aware that feeding bread or bread crumbs and popcorn can be dangerous to these birds. It creates a condition called Angel Wing. The picture tiles below are from Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center.