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Warming up to feeding backyard birds in the Kashmir snow

The conundrum of whether to feed or not to feed birds has bothered ornithologists as, for them, supplementary feeding could change the wild bird’s natural behaviour
No greens and insects during winter snow make it hard for birds to find forage. Photo courtesy: Waseem Bhat
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My oldest and one of the most cherished childhood bird memories is my mother spreading rice grains on the windowsill in early winter mornings and the bulbuls, sparrows and mynas dashing in to pick them. This was a routine she would follow religiously till the ground outside remained blanketed with snow. The birds would become so confiding that if there was a slight delay in the daily offerings, they would peck at the windowpanes to remind her to feed them.

Wild birds are well-adapted to their habitats and presumably know how to fend for themselves even during weather extremities. We humans feed birds as we consider this to be a noble act that does good to us and to the birds as well. We enjoy the sights and sounds of birds in our vicinity and providing some feed brings them to our backyard. The conundrum of whether to feed or not to feed birds has bothered ornithologists as, for them, supplementary feeding could change the wild bird’s natural behaviour, including foraging, migration and even breeding. But the latest studies suggest that birds with access to a feeder survive better during severe winters because they have more fat and spend less time and energy than otherwise required to forage for the natural food in the wild.

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Severe temperate winters like the ones we have in Kashmir affect birds as much as humans. With shorter days, freezing temperatures and no greens and insects around, it is hard for the birds to find forage. After a heavy snowfall, finding food becomes even more challenging. During summer, which is the breeding season for most birds in Kashmir, the latter consume protein-rich insects, which are in abundance and easily captured. As the fall approaches, the avians take to fruits and seeds to survive, which, in harsher snowy winter remain in short supply in the wild. This is the time when the birds won’t mind supplements from humans and when the bird-feeding enthusiasts should restock their feeders.

Bird-feeding by humans, however, has its own risks for the birds. It can attract individuals from different bird species and bring them together closer, and more frequently than normal in nature. This can create ideal conditions for the transmission of parasitic contaminations and diseases. If the bird feeding point is not properly secured or the right type of bird feeder is not installed, predation by wild and stray predators like dogs, cats and mongooses can take a toll on the feeding birds.

Over the past decade, birdwatching in Kashmir has picked up like never before and so has the enthusiasm to feed birds. Bird lovers often ask me for tips to attract birds of their choice through feeding. It is not difficult to bring birds to your backyard if you employ the correct bird-feeding method. However, for the welfare of birds, you need to follow some basic guidelines. It is always advised to create a bird-feeding station at a suitable place in your backyard (or front lawn, as we usually have in Kashmir) and use proper bird feeders that best suit the birds in need. Scattering the feed on the ground should be avoided as it can attract unwanted species like rats and feral pigeons. Bird feeders can be designed and built at home or purchased from the market. The prerequisite for a good bird feeder is that it should be easily accessible to the birds with a sort of ledge for them to perch on; it should be inaccessible to the predators, preferably a suspensible one and it should have sufficient roof and/or drainage to prevent water from ruining the feed. It is best to place the bird feeder in the vicinity of trees or even hang it from the branch of one in your garden.

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Traditionally, in Kashmir, we feed rice, both un-cooked and cooked (leftover), and corn to the birds. Apart from rice (kernels), whole (un-hulled) paddy seeds can also be used, and it is better to have cracked corn, which suits the smaller birds. Sunflower seeds, which are highly nutritious and high in fat and widely used as bird feed worldwide, should also be tried. Suet, the hard animal fat used in cooking and readily available in butcher shops in Kashmir, can be an effective attractant for bird species like tits, nuthatches and woodpeckers.

Maintenance of the bird feeders is also a must. The feeders and feeding areas must be kept clean and to avoid overcrowding, feeders should be placed sufficiently apart. You also need to check your feeders for sharp edges, which can cause injuries to the birds.

Paul Baicich, co-author of ‘Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce & Conservation’, writes about bird-feeding: “It’s wonderful. It introduces people to nature — in their backyard. It’s the intermediate step between sitting around the house and actually going out to a national wildlife refuge. The birds don’t need the feeders. We do.”

— The writer is Wildlife Warden, Department of Wildlife Protection, J&K

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