No matter where you live you can put together some simple things that will attract wild birds into your back yard, or onto your city balcony.

For example, set out a shallow bowl of water for drinking and bathing. Once the birds discover a safe place for a cool drink you'll be suprised by the numbers which will visit.

Build a house for nesting birds.

You can also fill a shallow bowl with wild bird seed or make a pine cone feeder like the one below. However, feeding birds can be messy, expensive and must be done regularly once started.

Pine Cone Bird Feeder

A easy-to-make Pine Cone Bird Feeder. This is a simple project that even young children can help make.

For each Pine Cone Bird Feeder you will need:

* A large, open pine cone

* Vegetable shortening, lard or suet

* Oats or corn meal

* Bird seed

* A few feet of string.

Tie a few feet of string to a pine cone. Cover the pine cone with the mixture below. Roll the pinecone in birdseed and then suspend it from a tree branch outside.

Food mixture: Mix 1/2 cup vegetable shortening, lard or suet with 2 1/2 cups of cornmeal or uncooked oats until well blended.

Optional: add dried fruit (chopped up), chopped nuts, seeds (especially sunflower and millet), and /or suet, which are high-energy bird foods.

Bird Walk is located at Federation Square Ginninderra Village, Canberra, Australia

Open 7 Days Summer 10 am - 4:30 pm Winter 11 am - 3:30 pm

Admission is charged. Wheel chair access is avaliable.

Phone 02 6230 2044 Fax 02 6254 6369 mob 0414718798