Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Bird Feeding and Care

Learn how to attract birds to your home while also keeping them safe.

Feeding birds makes you happier.

It's a scientific fact—one that folks who already provide food for birds know well. Birds can provide countless hours of entertainment. But as much fun as they are to watch, it's also important to remember that, by inviting birds to our homes, we have a duty to keep them safe. That means regularly cleaning feeders, making windows bird-safe, and taking other precautions. Below you'll find a range of advice for both bird feeding and care.  

Around the Feeder

Bird feeding tips and advice. 

More Feeding Tips and Stories
How to Feed Birds Safely This Winter
How to Feed Birds Safely This Winter

Follow these tips to ensure that you’re creating a healthy environment for wildlife visitors you attract to your yard.

When It's Okay (or Not) to Feed Birds
When It's Okay (or Not) to Feed Birds

Providing food—for photography or simple enjoyment—can be a thorny issue. For guidance, ask yourself these three questions.

Feeder Bird Identification

ID tips and guides for the birds that frequent feeders and backyards. 

More ID Tips and Advice

DIY Feeding and Recipes

Make your own bird food with these easy recipes and projects. 

Instructions
Make Your Own Suet
Make Your Own Suet

With this easy vegetarian recipe, you can attract insect lovers like woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Bird Care and Safety

Easy ways to make sure your visitors stay healthy and happy. 

Make Your Home More Bird-Friendly
Make Your Home More Bird-Friendly

From your windows to what plants you grow, there are many ways to make your sanctuary a safe place for avian visitors.

Care and Maintenance
Why You Should Keep Your Birdbath Clean
Why You Should Keep Your Birdbath Clean

Maintaining a fresh bath is a simple, essential way to keep birds hydrated, clean, and disease-free. Just follow these easy steps.

DIY
All About Hummingbirds
When to Expect Hummingbirds in Your Yard This Spring
When to Expect Hummingbirds in Your Yard This Spring

Flowers are beginning to bloom, and hummingbirds are starting to return from their southern winter sojourns. Here’s a regional guide for when they should arrive and the food they’re seeking.

Hummingbird Gorgets: Jewels of the Sky
Hummingbird Gorgets: Jewels of the Sky

The glittering, colorful feathers on the throats of male hummingbirds help them attract mates and defend territory. Here's how they work, up-close.

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Limpkins Are Everywhere All of the Sudden. What Is Going On?
Long restricted to Florida, the large wading birds have begun popping up across much of the United States and as far north as Canada in a rapid range expansion that has shocked experts.