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A Five Minute Crash Course on Birdwatching for Bluebirds
By Benny Mai
Three are many different ways that you can go about building your bird
house. If you want your kids to have some input, it is important for the
design to remain simple. Then there is the posture of a bird. Believe it or
not, birds perch differently. For example, a Flycatcher perches vertically
(straight up and down) when on a branch while a Vireo perches
horizontally (almost lying down) when on the same branch.
Bird cages are the type of thing that "you don't go cheap twice". If you
go cheap once, you'll be sure to never do that again! Here is a feature
that is often overlooked: bird-proof door locks.
Bird droppings can become very erosive, and the longer they sit on your
cage, the more damage can occur. Even the best brand name cages will
only last 3-4 years if not appropriately taken care of.
You may find that perhaps only a few species actually inhabit that
particular area. With a little preparation, you will be able to more readily
identify bird species from each other. Keep a list of successfully viewed
species ¨C we¡¯ll call this tip number two and a half.
A Five Minute Crash Course on Birdwatching for Bluebirds
Regardless of how you¡¯ve discovered the pleasure for birdwatching and
why you¡¯re interested in searching for bluebirds in particular, ignoring
birdwatching basics will get you and your binoculars nowhere. If you wish
to be able to view bluebirds the soonest time possible, read this crash
course on birdwatching for bluebirds. In five minutes, you¡¯ll graduate from
a kindergarten birdwatcher to birdwatcher extraordinaire!
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
Birds won¡¯t flock to an area where the noise level is considerably high. If
you wish to have the pleasure of being able to observe how birds act in
their natural habitat, you need to learn how to keep noise and disruptions
to a minimum. Just think of birds as grouchy old neighbors, and you¡¯ll
know what to do.
THE KEEN EYE SEES BEST
If you¡¯re interested in birdwatching for bluebirds in particular, you need to
make sure that you know everything there is to know about bluebirds.
Increasing your knowledge of bluebirds will make it easier for you to
quickly and easily identify the bluebird from the rest of the flock.
When studying bluebirds, your study should have the following focal
points:
Silhouette ¨C Familiarize yourself with the outline of bluebirds. Plumage or
Appearance ¨C Secondly, try to memorize the unique physical
characteristics of bluebirds. Know the shape of its head and beak and the
color and pattern of its feathers.
If you desire the look of antiques without the price tag, reproductions are
also available. Replica antique bird cages often maintain the look and style
of the original, but at a fraction of the cost.
Think about the ability of your family to care for a pet and then only
choose a bird that you could really care for and enjoy. Basically, that's all
you have to do in making hummingbird feeders. It depends on you how
many hummingbird feeders you want to make, but if you want to enjoy
watching more than just one hummingbird, you can make a number of
these feeders and tie them into a mobile and place them in your
backyard.
Let me explain; birds are a lot like us, they want space, they want
sunlight, they want to look around. I recommend getting a cage with
wheels so you can move your bird from place to place and give them a
change of scenery.
If you have an inexpensive pair of binoculars you are not getting the most
out of your viewing. Today¡¯s technologies come at a price and they
provide crucial benefits in wildlife viewing.
Behavior ¨C Research the behavioral patterns of bluebirds; learn what they
do when hunting for food, protecting themselves from being prey, taking
care of their young, and when trying to attract a mate.
Call ¨C Learn how to distinguish the call of bluebirds from the chirping of
other avians.
Habitat ¨C Lastly, learn where bluebirds are most likely to live and if they
migrate to other places during certain times of the year.
BIRDWATCHING TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
To facilitate your viewing quest for bluebirds, make sure that you have
the following handy:
Binoculars ¨C 20/20 vision is unfortunately not powerful enough to be able
to observe birds at a great distance. There will come a certain point in
time that you need binoculars to help you attain your objective.
Log Book ¨C Don¡¯t rely on your brain and memory to recall every minute of
your trip in perfect detail. Why take the risk of forgetting something
pertinent when you don¡¯t have to? All you need is an old-fashioned
notebook and pencil or pen to keep accurate and comprehensive records
of your observations.
Food and Water (Yours) ¨C So you won¡¯t miss out on anything
Food and Water (Theirs) ¨C So you can lure bluebirds closer to you.
Don¡¯t be blue if it takes you quite some time to search for those
bluebirds! Have you thought about the toxin levels of minerals like Zinc &
Lead in the cage you are considering? This should be your #1 priority
when looking for a bird cage.
If you're looking at a quality cage it will be constructed of steel (powder-
coated ones should have steel underneath the powder-coat and stainless
steel cages need to be 100% stainless steel, not plated or hollow) or iron.
One great resource in looking for cheap bird cages is the internet.
Amazon often offers bird cages at significant discounts. This website also
offers customer reviews of different products. This can be a helpful tool if
you are still in the decision-making phase of your cage search.
Get a good pair of bird watching binoculars if you are serious about bird
watching. The most important dimension in a cage is width. A guideline is
to choose a width at least 1 ? times your bird¡¯s wingspan.
After you have brought your bird bath home, find a place to set up the
bath well within sight of your outdoor and indoor spaces.
About the Author
If you are a new bird watcher, we urge you to joing a bird watching forum.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/49682.html
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