CHAPTER m 



ATTRACTING THE WINTER BIRDS 



In making plans for attracting the winter birds, 

 one needs to consider four things : the kinds of 

 food to be used ; methods of exposing it ; means of 

 shelter from the severity of the weather ; and the 

 protection of the birds from their enemies. A study 

 of the habits of the birds which we expect to attract 

 will give the clue to the successful solution of the 

 problems involved in these considerations. As re- 

 gards their food, our winter birds may be grouped 

 in two classes, insect-eating birds, such as the 

 chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches ; and seed- 

 eating birds, such as the sparrows and juncos. In 

 general animal food will attract the first class and 

 vegetable food the second, but insect-eating birds 

 often eat vegetable food, and seed-eating birds 

 often eat animal food. 



Foods preferred 



As far as possible one should put out the kinds 



of food which birds prefer, if one would be most 



successful ; but in times of great hunger birds 



will eat many foods which under ordinary circum- 



