Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce, and Conservation - Softcover

PAUL J. BAICICH is a conservation writer and editor and an avitourism consultant. He lives in Maryland. MARGARET A. BARKER, a writer and educator in the Chesapeake Bay area, coordinated the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch. CARROL L. HENDERSON is supervisor of Minnesota’s Nongame Wildlife Program in the Department of Natural Resources.

“Feeding Wild Birds in America is much more than the most complete history of the practice and business of feeding birds.  Woven through this rich history are insights about how to set up feeders that are not only safe for birds but also most likely to provide engaging experiences. Such encounters are more important than ever—because birds certainly need more caring friends.” — Dr. Stephen W. Kress, Vice President, National Audubon Society, Bird Conservation Director/Seabird Restoration Project, Author, The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds (Dr. Stephen W. Kress 2014-11-05)

“Even after 32 years in the industry, I still learned incredibly interesting information about the history of bird feeding and bird feeding vendors in this book. The authors did a great job researching and organizing the details of the hobby as it has grown over the last 120 years." — Jim Carpenter Founder, Preseident, and CEO of Wild Birds Unlimited Inc. (Jim Carpenter 2014-11-05)

"Feeding Wild Birds in America is a fine cross cultural narrative, an intersection of natural history, conservation, curiosity, and even entrepreneurship;  A noble work."—Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University (Douglas Brinkley 2014-11-10)

"Backyard bird feeding is by far the most popular form of bird watching.  Via strategically placed feeders, our kitchen windows, rec rooms, man caves, and dining rooms have become portals to the natural world.  This information-packed book is your bridge to the history of this thoroughly enjoyable pastime. Your greatest challenge may well be apportioning your time between this engagingly written book and the feathered minions gathering on the far side of your window."—Pete Dunne, Birding Ambassador, New Jersey Audubon (Pete Dunne 2014-11-12)

"The book is a fascinating history of our love affair with feeding birds...wrapped with wonderful insights on how bird feeding can be used to connect people to nature right at our doorstep. It's a treasure". —  Josetta Hawthorne, Executive Director, Council for Environmental Education (Josetta Hawthorne 2014-11-13)

“This is a lovely book indeed, and it goes far beyond being a simple history of bird feeding. The authors, who represent an exceptional combination of conservation knowledge and passion about nature, have given us a colorful and fact-filled chronicle of our centuries-long love affair with birds.”—John W. Fitzpatrick, Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology (John W. Fitzpatrick 2014-12-01)

"As you put up a bird feeder, unwrap suet cakes, spread out black-oil sunflower seed, and install a dripping birdbath, you will appreciate how far the bird-feeding hobby has come and the efforts of those who preceded us. As you read this book, those efforts become fascinating connections important to us all." —George H. Petrides, Sr., Chairman and Founder, Wild Bird Centers of America (George H. Petrides, Sr. 2014-12-15)

"Thoroughly researched and fun to read, it tells the complete story of bird feeding from the late 1800s to the present day and is full of fascinating details about early advocates and the development of seeds and the various styles of feeders. Perhaps you've wondered, as we have, how people figured out that black-oil sunflower seeds and suet would attract birds, or that safflower would be popular with cardinals. This book has the answers to those questions and many more." -- Bird Watching Magazine (Bird Watching Daily 2015-06-08)

“. . . by far the best and most thorough summary of bird feeding as both a pastime and a business.”—Farm & Dairy Magazine (Farm & Dairy Magazine 2015-07-23)

“One of the book’s many take-home lessons is how America’s love for nature spawned a new industry. . . by far the best and most thorough summary of bird feeding as both a pastime and a business.”—Vindy (Vindy 2015-07-18)