Growing Interest in Bird Feeding Campaigns and Bird Care in Bulgaria

An increasing number of people are participating in the annual A Seed of Love campaign, held each December to encourage the placement of bird feeders in urban areas during winter. Organized by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), this initiative has been running for 16 years, according to Yordanka Goranova, a representative of the organization. The campaign sees active involvement from schoolchildren and kindergarteners, who create and place bird feeders in schoolyards and parks, CE Report quotes BTA

Painter and scientific illustrator Milena Radeva has also noticed a rising interest in bird care. Radeva is one of the organizers of Draw a Bird Day on April 8, which brings together scientific illustrators annually. She is the illustrator of the book The Birds at My Feeder, supported by the Ministry of Culture, and manages a Facebook group of nearly 600 members dedicated to bird observation and care. Radeva shared that her passion for urban birds began when she took a course at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, leading her to create educational materials for children and their parents. The Facebook group has since become a hub for bird enthusiasts who feed, photograph, paint, and study birds, fostering a sense of care and responsibility.

Radeva highlighted the creativity of participants, who use various materials for feeders, including plastic bottles with holes, coconut shells, orange peels, and apple halves. The BSPB also provides recipes for bird feeders, such as a cake made from melted pork fat mixed with seeds and dried fruit, which can be placed in containers like coconut shells.

Different bird species have unique dietary preferences. For example, great tits favor sunflower seeds, magpies enjoy whole peanuts and corn seeds, and robins prefer mealworms. Sunflower seeds, provided raw and unsalted, are a universal option. Additionally, it is crucial to supply freshwater alongside the feeders. The BSPB advises against feeding birds raw rice, dried coconut, salted foods, or vegetable oils, as these can harm them. Milk is also unsuitable, though fermented dairy products like unsalted grated cheese are safe.

Winter bird feeding is not only a Bulgarian tradition but a global practice that helps people connect with the diversity of bird species in urban environments, the BSPB said. It’s an opportunity to learn, care, and foster creativity while supporting wildlife.