A Valentine for the Birds

It probably doesn’t come as a huge surprise that we like to make valentine’s for the birds. (Both wild birds and our chickens, but our chickens are much easier to photograph) there are a ton of good reasons to celebrate birds at Valentine’s Day!

1. Even though February is often one of the coldest snowiest months for us, the days are getting lighter and the very first stirrings of spring are starting. There was a popular notion in England and France during the Middle Ages that birds started to look for their mates on February 14. The reason for this assumption is not clear, but might be related to the fact that the warbling of the first songbirds after a long winter started sometime in mid-February. Many birds also start building their nests in February, Hence, Valentine’s Day’s association with birds, especially lovebirds and doves. The bare trees and muted landscape make February a great time to spot birds as well.

2. February is also the month of the Great Backyard Bird Count– a great opportunity to participate in a citizen science project and have fun outdoors. Log the bird friends you spot to help scientists track bird’s patterns and migration.

3. The wild birds in your backyard use a lot of their energy staying warm during the winter so finding enough food to fuel them is a constant struggle. In 1994, February was designated as National Bird Feeding month in order to stress the importance of helping birds survive by supplementing their natural diet. Make these heart bird feeders by simply cutting hearts out of cardboard, spreading with with peanut butter and sprinkling with birdseed. Add a tie and hang in a tree for birds to enjoy!

4. Here is a great poem about bird valentines!

I gave a hundred Valentines.
A hundred, did I say?
I gave a thousand Valentines
one cold and wintry day.
I didn’t put my name on them
or any other words,
because my Valentines were seeds
for February birds.

by Aileen Fisher

5. If you are feeling fancy you can also use this poem as a basis for some seed math— count to 100 and 1000 by tens with seeds while you are making your feeders. You can also work on patterns and/ grouping!