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Nature Notes

Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding

Learn how to attract, feed, and keep our feathered visitors safe

By Stephen W. Kress, Ph.D.

While most wild birds rely on wild foods for the bulk of their meals, more than 100 North American species supplement natural foods with birdseed, suet, fruit, and nectar obtained from feeders. Bird feeding can benefit birds while also providing pleasure for people throughout the year. Feeders benefit birds most during the winter, when natural food supplies are scarce. However, additional species visit feeders during spring and fall migrations, and some nesting birds utilize feeders during the summer.

The type of feeder, seed, and placement all factors into bird feeding success. Check out the following printable Audubon guides, by Stephen W. Kress, Ph.D., for information on how to attract, feed, and keep our feathered visitors safe.

Audubon Guide to Bird Feeding

Audubon Guide to Bird Feeders

Audubon Guide to Birdseed

Instructions for Printing Guides

Size

Printing

  • When printing any of them, be sure to print two-sided, with short edge binding. Otherwise, you’ll end up with one side that’s upside down.
  • Print at “Actual Size.” If this, for some reason, does not work, try the “fit” option.

Folding

  • When folding the Bird Seed and Bird Feeding guides, fold it in half once, and then fold in half again so that the cover and back panel are on the outside.
  • The Bird Feeder guide should be folded like a typical tri-fold brochure: left panel folded in, then right panel folded on top so the cover is on the outside.

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