Raising a feathered family is a great way to learn

It takes extra resources to raise a family, even if you're a bird.

Wild bird experts at organizations like the Audubon Society encourage Canadians to remember to feed wild birds in the spring and summer.

"It's important to offer wild bird seed all year around," commented birding expert Kathy Russell, category manager for bird food at Scotts Canada. "It's often thought that once spring has arrived, the need to feed the birds goes away. But, at this time of year, birds are building nests and hatching their young, so a steady source of nutritious food is very important in spring."

Spring feeding also helps to attract migrant birds returning to the region and looking for food sources.

"Watching baby birds being raised is a wonderful reward for feeding the birds," Russell remarked. "It's a wonderful way to interest children in the environment that's right outside their door."

Working with the nutrition experts at the Toronto Zoo, Scotts Canada recently developed a line of bird food available exclusively at Canadian Tire. Ideal for spring and summer feeding are: + Songbird Blend to attract songbirds. + Fruit & Nut Blend to attract finches and grosbeaks. + No Waste Blend to take the mess out of feeding because hulls are already removed. + Sunflower Seed to attract a wide variety of birds. + Finch Blend will attract a variety of finches when used in a tube style feeder. + Nyjer Seed to attract finches, chickadees and doves to a tube style feeder.

Feeding the birds is second only to gardening in terms of growing popularity. Busy gardeners looking for convenience can try readyto use feeding socks, pressed seed, suet and snack and feeder combination products. Visit www.morningsong.com for more information about attracting birds to your backyard.

- News Canada