You don’t need feeders to FeederWatch
Are feeders necessary in order to FeederWatch? It seems obvious, right–it’s in the name! Project FeederWatch. However, it may come as a surprise to many that bird feeders are not required for participation in Project FeederWatch, and participating without feeders is an incredibly valuable contribution in its own right.
If you prefer not to offer bird feeders, participation in FeederWatch is not only still possible, it’s encouraged! One of the best ways to understand the impact of feeding birds is by comparing sites with feeders to sites without feeders, but we can only do this if some people count without feeders. You can provide other things for birds, like water and native plants, and count the birds that are attracted to whatever you provide. Adding a birdbath to your count site can help birds and attract them just as well as food can. Adding a water dripper or sprayer might help make your bath even more attractive. Natural food sources can also draw in birds. Perhaps you’ve added native plants and shrubs to your garden, ones that produce seeds and/or berries for the birds to snack on, or flowers that can feed hungry hummingbirds and other nectar-loving species such as Verdins. Even if your garden plants don’t provide food directly, native plant species often support healthy insect populations, and protein-rich insects are especially important for supporting birds and their nestlings during the breeding season. Having a yard full of native plants, as opposed to non-native ornamentals, is one of the best ways to make your yard more wildlife friendly. Take it one step further and avoid using pesticides and herbicides too.
So if you want to participate in Project FeederWatch without a bird feeder, sign on up! Just add a water feature (even a shallow trash can lid works!) or cultivate some native plants and start watching. You might not get the same volume of birds that visit feeders, but you’ll likely be surprised at what you do see!