A Kid's Life: Wild Bird Pets

Wild Bird Pets

By Artemis Seay

Not every bird flies south in the wintertime, and sometimes pickings can be slim for those who stay behind. The birds will thank you if you pick out a special tree and keep it well stocked with goodies. (Choose a tree that usually attracts a lot of birds.) Every year at Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania, a "wildlife tree" is decorated for the local birds and other woodland creatures. Here are a few of their ornaments.

Pinecone Treat
Wrap some string around the top (apical end) of a pinecone, leaving enough string for a hanger.
With a blunt knife, spread peanut butter over the pinecone and roll it in birdseed.
Hang the pinecone treat on a branch by the string hanger.

Grapefruit Cupsend
Take all the sections and pulp out of a grapefruit half.
With a pencil (or the end of a small paintbrush) poke three evenly-spaced holes near the rim of the grapefruit. Also, poke one hole in the bottom of the cup, for drainage.
Let it dry out for a day or two.
String three lengths of yarn or raffia through the three holes and tie them together at the top, for hanging.
Fill the grapefruit bowl with birdseed, unbuttered popcorn or raisins.

Cranberry & Cheerios Garland
Using a sturdy needle and dental floss, string cranberries and plain (not sweetened) Cheerios to make a garland. You should string the thread through the top and bottom of each berry - not the sides.
Drape the garland on a tree.

Bird Donuts
In a mixing bowl, combine:
One cup of birdseed
A handful of unpopped popcorn
1/2 cup of coarse cornmeal
A handful of unsweetened dry cereal, like oatmeal, Wheatena or Cheerios.
1/2 cup of crunchy peanut butter.
Mix the ingredients together with your hands. Shape the mixture into small patties. With your thumb, make a hole in the middle of each patty. Bake in a slow (250Ľ) oven for 45 minutes. Cool, and string yarn through the hole.

Birdnest Building
Try this in early Spring, when the birds begin nesting:
Find a net bag, the kind oranges or onions come in, and fill it with different materials a bird might use when building its nest: leaves, short lengths of string and yarn, hair, feathers, twigs, dried grass, straw, small scraps of cloth. Use your imagination!
Let the different materials stick out from the bag so the birds can get at them easily.
Tie the bag to a tree branch. Find a spot where you can watch the birds as they build their homes.

Our question: How do you and your friends enjoy nature? Do you cut and press flowers, collect rocks or plant herb gardens? Let us know by sending us your answer now!

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