Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds: A Step-By-Step Guide [Paperback]

Hugh Wiberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999

Anyone can learn to feed wild birds from his or her hand! Wilberg reveals the best foods, weather conditions, and time of year and day to hand-feed birds.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A new book on "Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds" by Hugh Wiberg has come to my attention. The book is packed with excellent photographs of wild birds coming to the hand. The book also includes tips on photographing birds on the hand, who likes what to eat, pages for field notes and lots of good information about the birds that come to feeders." -- Inquirer & Mirror, Nantucket, MA 11/3/99

"Hugh Wiberg has been hand feeding birds for more than 20 years. He has enjoyed it so much, he decided to help others do it. It takes patience and persistence. Then again, people who like birds, but have no intention of standing out in the cold to feed them, can stay snugly inside and cozy up to the warmth of Wiberg's bird tales. Hand-feeding Backyard Birds makes fascinating reading." -- The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/13/99

"Hugh Wiberg has had more than 30 years of hands-on contact with birds. He makes it sound so simple. All you need is the desire plus patience, perseverance and a handful of seeds or pieces of nuts. The easy-to-read text plus outstanding photographs makes this an ideal book for your bird-loving friends as Christmas comes closer." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12/6/99

"Now that winter is supposed to be on its way, it's time to give the wild birds a helping hand...one with food in it, or on it. Hugh Wiberg's book, "Hand-Feeding Wild Birds" makes fascinating reading as do Wiberg's accounts of some of the special birds he has known. He has been hand-feeding wild birds for more than 20 years and has enjoyed it so much that he retired from a 35-year career in marketing and had time as well as bird seed on his hands." -- St. Louis Post, MO. 11/13/99

From the Back Cover

Have backyard birds eating from the palm of your hand!

"I remember the first time I watched a Black-capped Chickadee fly down from a tree an dperch on someone's hand," writes author and bird lover Hugh Wiberg. "Although this happened more than 20 years ago, it was a special moment that will stay with me forever."

Before long, Wiberg was enticing birds to his own hand, and he's been hand-feeding birds in his backyard and in sanctuaries ever since. Now he describes the thrills and rewards of hand-feeding and explains how you can enjoy this exciting activity, too. Soon Chickadees, Nuthatches, Titmice, and others will recognize you as their friend and eagerly visit your hand for a snack.

Featuring more than 80 color photos and simple instructions, Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds shares Wiberg's secrets for success. He lists the birds most likely to hand-feed, their favorite foods, and the best times, places, and weather conditions for hand-feeding. In addition, you'll learn how to take amazing close-up photos of birds of the hand.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 145 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580171818
• ISBN-13: 978-1580171816
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What fun!, May 22, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds: A Step-By-Step Guide (Paperback)

I bought this book this winter and what a great time I have had with my kids. And then, to my surprise I saw the author on Martha Stewart Living this morning. He was shown hand feeding birds with his grandchildren and I do have to say it is as easy as it looks.

Handfeeding backyard birds is a great way to spend quality time with the family and increase your kids' appreciation of nature.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction To This Hobby, August 19, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds: A Step-By-Step Guide (Paperback)

Let's face it, few people have written about this subject and it's not the most popular hobby in the world. I really don't know whey I'm fascinated by this, but I am. My introduction to this hobby started in the parking lot where I work, here in the Portland Oregon area. Scrub jays were in the area and after several months I was hand feeding a scrub jay from my car. Scrub jays in particular are very easy to tame and the one at work will easily swoop down and take a peanut off my shoulder. This jay would even jump onto the passenger seat of my car to get a peanut, although I have since stopped this, since birds become disoriented after entering an enclosed area. After reading Mr. Wiberg's book, I realized I had already intuitively learned most of what's necessary to hand feed wild birds. Nonetheless, this book is an excellent place to start if you have an interest in this hobby. The book contains several methodical techniques for gaining the trust of wild birds. The book will explain that certain birds are very adaptable to hand feeding while other birds are extremely difficult to hand feed, if not impossible. Tops on the list (for easy) are the black-capped chickadee and certain nuthatches. I would add scrub jays to that list.

I've taken what I learned at work (and this book) and have now attracted scrub jays to the back yard of my home. I was amazed how easy it was. Within two weeks and only minutes a day, they were eating peanuts within inches of me. Included in the book are several color photos and photography tips.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply beautiful, March 11, 2000

By 

Ray Barnes (Surrey, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hand-Feeding Backyard Birds: A Step-By-Step Guide (Paperback)

It is my pleasure to be the first to write a customer review for this book. It has the literary weight and feel of a guide more than a book. At 129 pages, it is also decidedly short, especially when much of the space is filled with the photos. On the other hand (sic), it would be curmudgeonly to withhold a strong recommendation. The bird photography is absolutely exquisite, and would merit six stars for admiration if the rating system permitted it. This charming little book is also fairly priced. The author's style of writing is witty and engaging. I personally cannot think of another book with such a handsome cover as this one. The overall presentation is elegant and tasteful, and the judicious use of sunlight and shadow adds to the distinction of the photos. For a casual or serious bird-lover, this book would make an outstanding gift. Most strongly recommended.