If you have placed a new bird feeder in your backyard, then you must be wondering whether the birds will discover it or remember it in the near future.
Yes, birds have excellent spatial memory and can remember where they’ve found food, including bird feeders. They can even recognize feeders as food sources and track them down, similar to how humans might track down a restaurant. Birds also remember when the feeder is refilled and will often hang around waiting.
The process of remembering can fascinate you as birds recall through visual clues and social learning. So, let’s get to know more about the process of how birds discover and remember bird feeders and how you can set up a bird feeder.
How Birds Remember The Word Freedom?
Birds are natural foragers as they need to look for food constantly to sustain themselves and their young ones. They use visual clues to remember a place and there are also different instances that help them to discover and relocate bird feeders the next time they visit the site, such as –
Visual Attraction
Birds can easily detect color, shape, and movement from a greater distance because of their vision. So, if you have a vibrant color bird feeder installed, and that is well placed in your backyard, then it will definitely catch their attention. Many birds are attracted to the decorative items surrounding the bird feeder and the aesthetic appeal of the garden.
Auditory Clues
Birds can remember the presence of a particular noise that caught their attention near the bird feeder. It can be the rustling of leaves or the chirping of any particular species of bird. Also, if a bird is a regular visitor to your bird feeder, then they will definitely call out to their flock mates or other birds to inform them about the presence of a food source.
Memory
Birds memorize the locations where they found the bird feeder, and they tend to return back to the place where they find a constant source of food. So, if you have packed your bird feeder with a good supply of food items, then they will definitely return and build a bond or trust with the bird feeder.
Social Learning
Birds also have the capability to remember a location or learn from other birds about a particular location. If a flock of birds has already discovered the bird feeder, then they will pass on the information to their companions. So, every day you would find the number of birds visiting the feeder has increased.
How Should You Set Up the Bird Feeder?
If you want to attract a variety of bird species, then it’s time to set up the bird feeder correctly.
Identify the Right Location
You need to choose an ideal location where you can place the bird feeder. It should be visible from your home and you get to enjoy the birds without disturbing them. The bird feeder should be placed in a safe and sheltered area, away from predators. There should be enough natural shelter or landing or perching areas, so place it near native trees and shrubs.
Variation in Food Item
If you want to attract a variety of bird species, then you have to keep a variation in food items, so keep a mixture of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grain, bird feeds, millets, cracked corn, sunflower seed, or some popular choices such as nectar. If you find Bluebirds are also visiting or finches, then you can keep mealworms, too.
Clean and Safe Area
The bird feeder should be cleaned every day so that it does not lead to any kind of disease or infection among the visiting birds. You need to remove the spoiled food and sanitize the area to prevent bacteria build-up. You can also paint the bird feeder with mold and rot resistance stains to make the feeder a safe and hygienic place for the birds.
Provide Freshwater
You need to keep a source of fresh water near the bird feeder that the birds can not only use as drinking water but can also bathe in. You can place a small fountain or a bird bath and create the entire setup bird-friendly and trustworthy.
Choose the Correct Bird Feeder
Check what kind of bird species are around you and based on that you need to buy the bird feeder. If mostly you can find small birds, then get a tube feeder and if the birds are ground feeding, then you can buy a platform bird feeder. You can also attach a feeder to the window which gives you the opportunity to watch a variety of birds in the comfort of your home.
Create a Bird-Friendly Landscape
You can set up plants that provide natural food and shelter to the birds or add trees, flowering plants, or other shrubs that would be bird-friendly. Also, install wires, mesh, or collars that would prevent the predators from attacking the birds, climbing the feeder pole, or raiding the food. You can also use baffles to eliminate large predators.
Does a Bird Remember Human Kindness?
If you are investing in a bird feeder, planting trees that would provide them with food, or setting up birdhouses, then birds will definitely remember your act of kindness. They would frequently visit your place, trust you, and also enjoy the food snacks, and water that you are providing them
Why Do Birds Dislike Eye Contact?
Birds identify direct eye contact as a signal of danger. They find it similar to the gaze of a predator, so it is advised to humans not to look directly into the eye of the bird, otherwise they might fly away.
How to Approach a Wild Bird?
If you like bird watching and want them to visit the bird feeder you have installed, then you need them to get familiar with your voice. So, whenever they visit your place, use a soft tone to gently speak to them. You must also have a relaxed body posture, avoid waving your arm and if you have a pet dog or cat keep it inside. You must not get too close to the bird feeder and during the presence of the bird maintain a distance of at least 10 to 12 feet, this will help them to understand that you are not a threat. Also, you need to keep patience, as it takes time for a bird to trust the human, and they would slowly get used to your presence.
Does a Bird Recognise the Human Feeding it?
Based on recent studies it has been shown that birds recognise the voice of the human who is feeding them. They also remember the face, but it might take quite some time for them to understand that a specific human is not a threat, but rather showing kindness.
