WBU Podcast

John & Brian are joined by two very special guests, kids who love bird feeding, Xander and Rhain. Prepare to be inspired by their passion and love for birds and bird feeding. They also share their tips for helping more kids get into the hobby. 

Birds Mentioned
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Tufted Titmouse
American Goldfinch
Blue Jay
Steller’s Jay
American Robin
European Starling
American Woodcock
Barn Owl
Ruddy Duck
Red-winged Blackbird
Bobolink 

Resources Mentioned by the Kids
Bubble Rock instructions mentioned by Xander can be found here.
Merlin App mentioned by Rhain can be found here. 

Activity Ideas 
Today’s youth spend less time outside than any previous generation, depriving themselves of the emotional and physical benefits that come from having a bond with the natural world. Rather than “going green,” children are “going screen,” spending an average of 44 hours per week interacting with electronic media. Try using outdoor activities with your children to get them closer to nature.    

• Bird feeding and bird watching are ideal ways to help connect children with nature.    

• A study found that feeding birds may provide an important tool for engaging people with nature to the benefit of both people and conservation. Why not involve kids?    

• The American Psychiatric Institute found that the intimacy of being in nature and having a careful and protective connection with the birds can make all the difference in one’s day. You will start to care for the birds and see them as friends in your life. Also, spending time outside for 10 minutes a day has been proven to boost serotonin and dopamine levels.    

• Have kids build a feeder out of a simple milk jug or a nicer one from a feeder kit.    

• Have children help fill feeders and watch for who shows up.    

• Help children sketch birds and take notes on who visits the yard or feeders. Look up the birds to learn to identify them together.   

• Watch birds together.    

• Treat it like a scavenger hunt. What birds can you find? Mark them down and submit the data to eBird.    

• Join a bird project like the Great Backyard Bird Count or Project FeederWatch. It’s easy and the data helps scientist study birds and create conservation plans to help the birds.  

• Activities to download can be found here.  

Products Mentioned
Finch Feeder
Hopper Feeder
Peanuts In the Shell
Peanuts Out of the Shell
Finch Blend
Seed Cylinders
Nectar
Suet 
WBU Nesting SuperBlend™
WBU Winter SuperBlend™ 
Safflower
Bark Butter®   

To find a store near you or shop on-line, visit www.wbu.com/store-locator
To learn how you can open your own Wild Birds Unlimited, visit www.wbufranchise.com 

Bird Sounds (Black-throated Green Warbler, American Woodcock, Red-winged Blackbird, Bobolink) provided by Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.