Sisters of St. Joseph

Serving God and the Dear Neighbor without Distinction

Serving God and the dear neighbor
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Mission
    • History
    • Our Stories
      • Dear Neighbor Magazine
    • Our Sisters
      • Jubilarians
      • In Loving Memory
    • Our Federation
  • What We Do
    • Spirituality Center
    • Justice and Peace
    • Ecology
    • Prayer
    • Sustainability
    • Partners in Mission
      • Boys Hope Girls Hope
      • Casa San José
      • Pets with Heart
      • Sisters Place
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Sister
    • Join the Associates
    • Join the Auxiliary
    • Be a Volunteer
    • Find Employment
    • Calendar
  • Support Us
    • Donate Now
    • Gift Shop
    • Memorial/Tribute Cards
    • Planned Giving
    • United Way
    • Auxiliary Spring Luncheon
    • Faith.Field.Feast.
  • Contact Us
    • Visit Us
    • Send a Note
    • Join Our Mailing List
    • Prayer Requests
    • News

Conservation and Creation: Why Bird Feeding Matters

February 13, 2023 By Sisters of St. Joseph

Donate to support future programs

Sustainability and Conservation

Nearly 3 billion birds are gone since 1970 within the U.S. and Canada, largest cause of bird decline is habitat loss. Bird feeding can help provide a safe environment for birds to easily access a food source, water, and habitat.

By welcoming birds into your yards, you are increasing healthy vegetation, natural pest control, and supporting the spread of plants back into the ecosystem. Most sick or injured birds look at feeders as a place of refuge since they do not have to struggle to find food.

The individual health of a bird is improved with proper supplemental feeding. It increases antioxidant levels, reduces stress and, in some species, improves body condition index scores and innate immune defense.

How to Attract Birds to Your Yard

  • Provide water year round
  • Plant native species
  • Eliminate insecticides in your yard
  • Offer food in feeders
  • Remove invasive plants from your property

#FEEDSMART Suggestions

Be sure to clean your bird feeders regularly!

  • Throw away any food that smells musty or may have mold on it.
  • Have multiple sets of bird feeders to switch out for ease of cleaning.
  • Keep cats indoors to prevent bird loss.
  • Keep a distance between multiple feeders.
  • Refrain from placing your feeders too close to your house to avoid window collisions and add reflective decals on windows for birds.

Plants That Attract Birds

  • Sunflowers
  • Coneflowers
  • Marigolds
  • Black Eyed Susan
  • Virginia Creeper

Creation Improves Mental Health

In 2019, bird watching was studied by the American Psychiatric Institute. Their research found that 7 out of 10 people experienced a change in their mental health after bird feeding for only once a week. 70% of people who engage with birds in their yard will experience a mental health change.

The intimacy of being in nature and having a careful and protective connection with the birds can make all the difference in your day to day life.

Spending time outside for 10 minutes a day has been proven to boost serotonin and dopamine level.

Sources:

Why bird feeding is important. Wild Bird Feeding Institute. (2022, January 31). Retrieved January 10, 2023, from https://www.wbfi.org/2021/11/30/why-bird-feeding-is-important/

 Attracting birds – garden for Wildlife. National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2023, from https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife/Wildlife/Attracting-Birds 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Contact Us

Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden
1020 State Street
Baden, Pennsylvania 15005
Phone: 724-869-2151
Fax: 724-869-3336

Login

Sisters & Associates Login

Sisters & Associates Directory Login

Employee Login

Site Search

Copyright by Sisters of St. Joseph. All rights reserved. Site design by The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management.