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Outdoor Improvements From "Today Show Tips" episode DTST-125

(Continued from page 4)

Besides providing food for hungry birds, this feeder is a bright spot of color in a wintery back yard.

Bird Feeders

What better way to enjoy a spruced-up, healthy yard than to invite some feathered friends to enjoy the fringe benefits? There's no better invitation than a bird feeder, either. No matter what time of year it is, you'll have appreciative guests dining on the seed and suet you put out for them. Check out these tips for great feeders — including some that keep the squirrels out.

• Bird feeders are available in just about any style you can imagine: whimsical to rustic to sleek. You can buy feeders to attract certain kinds of birds, such as finches, and feeders that let everyone join in the feast. Most cost between $20 and about $60, but you can spend much more.

• You can hang your feeder from a branch or a hook, or you can mount it on a pole. One thing to keep in mind, though: Don't put it too close to the deck or patio. Otherwise you'll be dealing with more cleanup than you'd like.

• Squirrels are notorious raiders at bird feeders, and inventing the truly squirrel-proof feeder has been a challenge for many years. There are some designs, though, that seem to at least deter them for a while. Look for models with large, plastic, dome-shaped canopies over them. You can hang one from a branch, and the squirrels won't be able to get the foothold they need to climb down to the seed. To keep the little critters from climbing up a pole, get a shield that fits around the lower part of the pole. Or, if it's a metal pole, keep it coated with axle grease.
  

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• If you're buying a feeder, look closely at its construction. Does the material seem like it will hold up to years of exposure to the elements? Plastic can become brittle and break; wood can have knots that will eventually cause the board to crack, too.

• Redwood, cedar and cypress are all good choices for bird feeders. They are water-resistant naturally, so you don't have to add any chemicals that could harm the birds.

• Don't forget about providing water for the birds, too. Even in very cold weather, they need something to drink. You can buy heating elements designed to keep the water in the birdbath from freezing.
  
  
  

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  	Outdoor Improvements