How to feed birds in summer
When we take the heat of the summer sun in to the equation when feeding our backyard birds, of course we must do so that sustains the quality of wild bird feed.
How to feed birds in summertime especially won't be too different to any other time of the year. Rely more on the shade while changing out bird feed more often. Feed birds with use of bird feeders as usual while throwing bird seeds on the lawn. Suet can be used but seeds or mealworms must be prioritized.
Birds will eat seeds all year round with the summer months being no different. If you can provide a seed mix that includes all or some of millet, thistle seeds and sunflower seeds, you'd be providing for many seed-eating wild birds.
My top tip for feeding birds in summertime will also prioritize feeding live or dried mealworms to birds, of which the mealworms go in a tray or on top of a bird feeding platform.
With mealworms going in a tray, in a dish of any kind, or on top of a bird feeding platform; a mix of seeds, peanuts and all suet can go in the mix with the mealworms.
I will still utilize a seed bird feeder for a mix of seeds to suspend on a bird feeder pole or branch - along with a peanut or suet feeder hung up along side it.
Suet will be eaten in summer but always provide seeds all year round, as wild birds continue to eat them as normal.
No guarantee pests or pets won't access bird feed left out in the open, thus a confined bird feeder must still be depended upon; even in high temperatures where bird feed trapped within an enclosed bird feeder won't seem like a good idea.
Bird feeders can be kept cool somewhat when they are hung up in the cool shade.
Bird feed can also be provided to birds on top of platforms around the yard, or on natural surfaces, like within tree branches or on top of an old tree stump.
Seeds will also be eaten off the lawn or when seeds are placed on top of a table for wild birds to help themselves.
All this is done mind to avoid a bird feeder, when a feeder will eventually be used if you must avoid backyard pests - or there's risk of your own pet eating the wild bird feed.
Fed in open or within feeders
Literally two ways you can feed wild birds in summer, just as you do all year round, and that is with or without any kind of bird feeder.
Of course when you bring the temperature of the summer into the equation, that does change things dramatically as wild bird food does have a tendency of rotting far sooner in the summer sun, when its left out in the yard for a long period of time.
How to feed birds in summer will proceed with your regular bird feeders for now, as they remain safe to use yet are already suspended off your pole or tree branch.
When putting bird food within the confinements of a bird feeder, of course you must realize the internal temperature will skyrocket in the summer. What you can do then is prioritize feeding wild birds with no feeder in sight.
Do continue to use a bird feeder in an effort to keep squirrels out of bird feeders, including other bird feeder pests like chipmunks, raccoon's, coyotes, rodents and bears.
Bird feeders suspended off the ground on a bird feeder pole will prevent access by all, yet there's still the possibility of throwing bird seeds especially, on the ground to provide ground feeding birds a bite to eat.
Bird seeds, peanuts and all kinds of suet - including the popular mealworms - can also go in an open tray mounted to a pole, or on top of a bird feeding platform on a post.
Food kept cool in shady area
When you put out bird food in a corresponding bird feeder that is both confined or an open to the elements tray, either option will cause issues in summertime especially.
With temperatures reaching anywhere between 90 to 100f at its highest across North American, in the peak of summer, the temperature inside a bird feeder will certainly rise far beyond this.
And let's not forget about what the high humidity can do to a mix of wild bird food compacted in what is essentially a hot and sticky clear plastic tube.
With all that in mind, let's prioritize a place in the shade to situate any kind of bird feeder, especially those that rely on being hung up on a bird feeder pole.
Nectar-filled Oriole or Hummingbird feeders will benefit mostly in a shaded location, all though a well lit up area with some sunshine must still be a priority.
Birds fed on a mix of seeds or peanuts in their corresponding bird feeder seem to do well for a long period of time in direct sun - yet less so when the humidity rapidly speeds up the bacteria process in these feeders.
Certainly suspended bird feeders on a bird feeding station pole within a cool shaded spot will help, and so will bird feeders hung up within a dense leafy tree location.
Focus on seeds and mealworms
What you feed wild birds in summertime will mostly correlate to what wild birds already eat in the wild, which is often what is eaten in the wild all year round.
Absolutely some of your backyard birds do change dietary needs come the spring through summertime - although I will ask you to stick to what you know best.
What to feed birds in summer will mostly be seeds and mealworms - as its often what is prioritized in the wild - and therefore will cater to as many of your common backyard birds as possible.
Of course mealworms aren't eaten in the wild yet plenty of insects and bugs will be, which is what mealworms are a substitute for.
Peanuts can be provided although bear in mind peanuts taken back to the young in the nest, do risk choking on larger pieces fed to them.
Focus mostly on providing your wild birds a mix of their favorite bird seeds in the summer months, which should include millet, thistle seeds and sunflower seeds.
Bird seeds will go in the clear tube seed feeder as normal which will see the seeds quickly eaten up. On that, you can hang a seed bell in the shade or along side bird feeders on the pole.
Not all seed-eating birds are capable at bird feeders mind - let along seeing any of them giving it a try at least - thus its vitally important to put bird seeds on the ground, in an area you know birds will find the seeds over the course of the day.
Remember, your local squirrels will eat bird seeds exposed like this, thus its important to rely on squirrel proofed seed feeders if you have a squirrel issue.
Suet can still be provided
While you'd find your wild birds eating most of your bird seeds more during the summer months especially, they still eat plenty of dried or live mealworms, along with available peanuts within bird feeders.
What people often get confused about in the summertime is whether or not to feed birds suet at this time of year.
Well, to be absolutely clear, you can feed birds suet in the summertime, even if less of the suet is eaten when there's an abundance of seeds still remaining in the bird feeders.
Suet can be provided as suet cakes or fat balls which will of course go in a suspended suet bird feeder hung up off a bird feeder pole or tree branch.
Suet pellets are also popular right now with suet-eating wild birds - and there is a lot of them by the way - and so if you want the suet pellets to be eaten in a reasonable time, then provide the pellets on an open tray or on top of a bird feeding platform.
Prioritize suspending or locating any kind of suet in the shade, as this fatty bird food does have a knack of rotting quickly under the summer sun.
Bear in mind, unlike store-bought suet, the homemade kind will quickly go rancid in summer, thus its best to avoid making your own at this time of year.
Conclusion
How you feed birds in the summertime is pretty much how you'd feed wild birds all year round, which will depend on the same wild bird feed along with an option to go with or without a bird feeder.
Personally speaking, I refer to use a bird feeder for seeds, peanuts - and suet if you didn't know you can use it in summer - along with providing bird feed that can be offered to many more wild birds without any kind of suspended feeder in use.
Birds will prefer to feed in a well lit up area but that doesn't mean it has to be a dark, inaccessible corner.
Bird feeders will only be found where wild birds frequent in your yard, like in and around foliage, and on the bird feeding station usually located on your lawn.
With temperatures expected to reach 90f to 100f at its peak - but still very hot all through the summer - across the United States, a shaded spot can certainly help to sustain bird feed for a little longer, before it begins to rot.
Birds will change their dietary needs come the summer months, but it isn't all that important to you. Continue to feed wild birds a mix of seeds along with dried mealworms, to cater to as many common backyard birds as possible.
Suet can be provided but do rely on suet cage type feeders only, along with putting broken up suet cakes or fat balls on an open tray.
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