February is national birdfeeding month

(NAPS)—Americans love their feathered friends. More than 65 million people feed the birds that visit their backyards each year.
A new book offers these backyard birders some ideas to tweet about. “For the Birds” contains 50 all-natural recipes—from fruity favorites to beak-smacking suets and enticing nectars—to delight steady backyard guests and lure a variety of new species as well. No exotic ingredients are required.

Here’s a recipe to help birds produce healthy eggs.
Calcium Feast
3 cups wild birdseed or homemade seed mix
3–5 eggs (shells only)

Rinse the shells and put them on a cookie sheet to bake at 350°F (177°C) until dry. Use a rolling pin or spoon to crush them into fine pieces and sprinkle them into your seed mixture. Fill a tube feeder with this calcium-enhanced seed or serve in a tray feeder. Yields: 3 cups

You’ll find more recipes like this as well as tips on how to make recycled feeders using coconuts, grapefruits, muffin tins or apple boxes. Easy-to-read charts also let readers know which plants, feeders and nesting boxes are best for the types of birds they want to attract.

“For the Birds” is published by Reader’s Digest and is available wherever books are sold.