Photo © Sandra Taylor

Supplemental Feeding & Nesting Birds

One of the most-asked questions we hear at NestWatch is, “Should I feed my birds during nesting season, or do they already have plenty of food?” In this month’s blog, we shed light on this question drawing from two recently published studies from NestWatch.

As is often the case with birds, not all species respond the same way to additional resources like supplemental food. Using three focal species (Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, and Black-capped Chickadee) and 24,528 nest records submitted by NestWatchers, we delve into why bluebirds might benefit, but chickadees don’t seem to get a boost. Get the full scoop on our blog.