Every living creature in nature is a specific link in the food chain. So-called natural selection occurs . This principle is actively used in natural organic gardening: these or those animals become useful garden inhabitants, supporting soil fertility and protecting plants from various pests. The indispensable benefit here, of course, is the birds. So, who is she - the most useful bird for the garden?
How are birds useful in gardens?
Birds that settle in gardens and gardens are of great benefit to man. For example, forest birds eat adults of various insect pests, as well as their larvae. The lion's share of the pests is destroyed by medium-sized birds - tits, starlings, wagtails, pied flycatchers, woodpeckers, etc.
It should be understood that the life of birds is arranged somewhat differently than the lives of people. This means that they will not fly targeted to your site. They don’t know that you need their help. Therefore, useful garden birds need to be attracted. It is especially advisable to do this in the winter. To attract them, certain conditions should be created, since in the wild, the wintering of these birds takes place in places closed from the eyes of man.
How to attract birds to your garden plot?
Before you find out which bird is the most useful for the garden, you need to talk about equally important things - about attracting useful birds to your site. The most reliable way here is winter top dressing. Ornithologists argue that feeding birds in winter can dramatically increase their numbers.
Thanks to top dressing, useful birds will begin to nest directly on your garden plot. In the future, young animals born in this place will be more likely to settle near their "parental home." Therefore, next year they will remain in the garden. Here is such arithmetic!
How to feed birds in winter?
To make these birds comfortable, it is necessary to hang feeders in their garden in winter. They should be located strictly in open places with excellent visibility, but not far from the natural bird's "refuge" (shrub, tree). Garden "helpers" need to be fed up to the end of winter. It is better to sprinkle the same grits in the trough. Do not feed the birds spoiled foods, salted chips and sweet corn.
The most useful bird for the garden
The answer to this question for a long time haunted scientists. Ornithologists argued about this and, finally, came to the conclusion that the greatest benefits for the garden are not forest, but city birds - big tits. The fact is that these familiar black and green feathered creatures are carnivorous, that is, they feed exclusively on insects.
Tits very carefully and methodically inspect every branch, every leaf, destroying harmful insects to the nearest millimeter. The most useful bird for the garden feeds on both adult pests and their larvae and even eggs! Fortunately, tits have an increased need for feed. This makes them number one helpers in the garden.
Great tits protect gardens and vegetable gardens not only in the summer, but also in the winter season. As mentioned above, they are carnivorous, so they can’t do with grain alone. Their body needs animal proteins. This makes big tits feed on wintering insect pests, which are present in abundance in our gardens.
It is curious that only one tit should be found on a tree, for example, several caterpillars of the apple codling moth, as its other relatives nearby will also choose this neighborhood. This is the case when the bird most useful for the garden does not need to be artificially attracted to its site. But do not abuse it. Bring tits to your garden, and they will reach for you!