Bird feeding and cross pollination

Bird feeding month aims to create awareness of the needs of birds and keep them safe until the spring starts. During the cold winter season, wild birds find it difficult to get food for their survival. Small, domestic birds lack body fat stores due to their body structure. Once they get food they can sustain winter and we have to provide their regular food.

Food supplies are scarce because of the reduced vegetation, absence of insects. Nature lovers set up bird feeders filled with appropriate seeds, or suet and seed filled containers. You can the suitable food from local pet stores. Once spring is up the birds will be back to their nearby organic farms. Many bird species feed on insects and an abundant presence may significantly contribute to a better natural pest control.

In Western European farmlands, breeding populations of various birds species have come down in the past 10 years. This phenomena is probably connected with intensified agricultural practices that include a sizable reduction in crop diversity, an increase in average field size, cultivation of natural habitats, drainage. Investigations have found a relationship between pesticide use and a decrease in quality and amount of grains available for birds on conventionally farmed land. This resulted in a decreased breeding success of birds.

Researchers studied impact of organic agriculture on animal biodiversity especially for land animals and birds. An analysis on 44 research project results in Europe and the United States of America was taken up. This included on farm and pilot trial studies on the effects of farming systems on beneficial invertebrates and birds consistently shows a better performance of the organic system. Of the groups analyzed (i.e. arthropods, birds and earthworms) in 49 out of 55 investigations, organic agriculture scored better. Among species diversity, in 15 out of 23 investigations organic agriculture performed better.

Birds improve the quality of the food products and herbal produces from various plants trees and shrubs. Sun birds and humming birds cross pollinate especially herbal plants. Now people are eager to use organic herbal products for various ailments .Natural plant produces are used in health care product manufacture. These birds can protect the tree leaves and flowers from harmful insects and increase yield of quality fruits. It is necessary to protect sun-bird and humming bird species by providing bird feeders during winter. During winter, most of the plants will shed off their leaves and birds have to survive the cold climate. They will get nectar from flowers only during the next spring season.

Here you can see one typical example of a beneficial tree that gives leaves flowers seeds and oils. Bisexual flowers of moringa oleifera are highly cross-pollinated and pollination is mainly facilitated by animals (ie the flowers are zoophilous). For example, bees (xylocopa sp) and sunbirds (nectaria spp) have been observed to be active and reliable pollinators in other parts of the world. During one study on the mating system of moringa oleifera, it was found that 74% of seed were produced as a result of cross-pollination and remaining 26% of seed were produced by self-fertilization. If you want to eat healthy fruits and vegetables of organic farming, it is necessary to set up bird feeders.