Backyard Birding

Attracting Wild Birds

Is there anything more satisfying than attracting wild birds right into your very own backyard?

We encourage bird feeding year-round. Winter feeding provides our over-wintering residents with much-needed energy in the cold; spring feeding supports nesting birds; summer feeding brings migrants close into view; fall feeding ensures energy on their long trek south.

There are a lot of myths about bird feeding. Decades worth of data analyzed by Cornell University has demonstrated that feeding does not interrupt natural migration patterns, and that feeder birds have healthier populations.

We do recommend that seed and nut feeders are cleaned at least 1-2 times a month, to ensure food sources free of mould, while reducing the possibility of disease outbreaks (finches are particularly susceptible to salmonellosis, but outbreaks are not common in Alberta). To clean your feeder, take it apart and use a dishwasher on a hot setting or hand wash either with soap and boiling water or with a dilute bleach solution (no more than 1 part bleach to 9 parts water). Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry before refilling.

Hummingbird feeders must be washed multiple times a week, more often in hot weather, always with fresh nectar (1 part table sugar to 3 or 4 parts water).

We’re pleased to provide everything for your wild birding & backyard birding pursuits. With our diverse selection of quality seed, locally made feeders and houses, bird baths, guidebooks and binoculars to enjoy your hobby to its fullest.

Our favourite reference guide is Backyard Bird Feeding: An Alberta Guide by Myrna Pearman, lead biologist of the Ellis Bird Farm just outside of Lacombe. A lovely afternoon awaits you in their gardens & cafe!