"They are also very protective in the spring time, attacking anyone who comes near, especially my daughter who has a phobia towards birds."
Don't let her see The Birds - that Hitchcock thriller, then.
I feed the local critters where I live - in the trailer park. I put down cat food for the cats (each cat has their 'preferred' place to eat - which means I put down about 4 or 5 piles of food.)
I also feed the - well - it started out as just the sparrows - but now has blossomed to also be a few grackles and doves.
I started with just scraps - bread and such - that either went bad - or was left over from eating out. It has now turned into buying a bag of sunflower seeds and two loafs of wheat bread. I don't spend that much (although my wife will disagree with that), and it is fun to watch the sparrows fly down and grab the bits of bread and fly off with it to eat somewhere safely.
Some sparrows will eat right there in the street - where I throw the bread and seed.
I sometimes see an odd-looking bird that I can't identify - eating among the sparrows. Once - was a green parrot-looking bird - beautiful! He was just passing through, I suppose.
My wife laughs - as the birds begin to gather around our house - looking for me - to bring them the feed - they are very insistent - chirping - and flying about - trying to get our attention. (Little beggers...)
I just think that they need a little help - as what I put out for them isn't that much - and they still will need to go get worms and bugs and such.
The cats have taken to liking the bread too... and I have to play referee - keeping the cats out of the street where the birds' food is - and allowing the birds to eat in peace.
It's funny - the cats are more interested in eating the bread - than they are in catching the birds. They actually will sit and watch the birds... it's sort of theraputic for them to just watch the birds - who - for the most part ignore the cats. I haven't seen any bird feathers - so the cats aren't bothering the birds too much.
The birds also remind me - vocally - whenever I have missed a feeding.
They also 'thank' me for the food... as they roost in the tree that I park my car under - and poop on the car.
Oh - and it's funny to watch the folks that live in the park drive down the street. They are ever so careful and slow down as they drive by - so as to not run over the birds... the same people who would speed up and 'aim' for the cats as they drive by.
I've counted over 30 sparrows out there eating - hopping around in the street.
It's fun.
Regards,
Jim TX
