Songs, beauty and the fact that they can fly is behind the inspiration and tad of jealousy from us mere humans when watching birds, and today, on National Bird Day, it's the perfect time to appreciate these magical little minions. Unfortunately, many of the songbirds and parrots of the world face extinction due to disease, habitat loss and the horrors of the illegal pet trade.
There are plenty of ways to help the bird community thrive, and with the National Bird Day celebration serving as a reminder, it's never too late to start helping out. Put out some food for our winged friends!
Do you feed wild birds? Or keep fresh water out for them? Perhaps you have a hummingbird feeder for those little daring, darting clowns or plant your garden keeping birds in mind, encouraging them to linger for a while? Many people are likened to the animals that dominate the sky, and every year thousands of us look up to the sky and watch birds fly about.
Even birding, or bird-watching, numbers are staggeringly impressive still. During the 2014 Christmas Bird Count, 2,106 species and 68,753.007 total birds were counted, as previously reported by HNGN.
An interesting fact we learned this past year was that some birds will sacrifice food if they get to spend the winter with their partner instead, which is amazing, especially considering the derogatory slang term "birdbrain" is used when speaking of something not so bright. Birds are extremely intelligent creatures and the study that found this exceptional show of love proves the capacity of their feelings for each other as well, reported HNGN.
If you do have a captive bird, be sure to implore best possible practices to ensure a happy life for them, starting with the largest possible enclosure. No space is too big for a bird - they were designed to fly the world after all.
This would include lots of daily exercise both in and outside of the cage, and toys to keep their minds stimulated. Birds are intelligent and capable to playing games with you, and thrive on this playtime activity. Develop games to teach your bird skills like treasure hunting, or foraging, placing toys and treats around the house for them, increasing the difficulty as they catch on to this fun game.
Don't forget a bird loves water! Daily or weekly misting with a clean spray bottle of water is not only fun, but keeps their feathers and skin healthy. And birds like many foods, not just seed. Veggies, pasta, fruits, find out what to feed the birds you have, or that come to your feeders. You will find more coming when you place some coveted goodies weekly to treat your fine feathered friends.
Attract more birds to your yard with planting tips from the National Audubon Society, and enjoy the "fruits" of your labor when the birds come visiting.
Other birding tips to get you up and running with your feeders, bird baths and anything else you wish to encourage birds to your domain is Wild Birds Unlimited. It says it all in the name: these people know the birds in your area and what to do to bring them to your yard. Even if you are in an apartment, they will know just what you need to bring birds to your balcony.
Take a moment to relax, sip some coffee or tea and watch the birds in nature today. You'll enjoy it so much you will probably add this winding down-time to your regular routine.
