The results are in!
Congratulations to the following winners for our 3rd Annual Bird Feeder Design Contest!
Each entry was sent an email with their prize certificates; students, yours were sent to your teacher.
GRAND PRIZE – the most effective and visually appealing design overall
The Chick-a-dees Team
Shelby Nelson & Jolie Reinhardt (Students)
Northeast Range School
Babbitt, MN
RUNNER UP – second place close behind
The Bird Boys Team
Dillon, Ethan & Oskar (Students)
Northeast Range School
Babbitt, MN
BIRD’S CHOICE – voted by the birds: the most birds visiting and most bird diversity
Team Flying Wren Bird (Family)
Mathew, Becca, Sadie & Zoe Klesser
Ely, MN
MOST APPEALING DESIGN TO HUMANS – not an official category but boy was this one nice!
Bec Hodgin
Savage, MN
SQUIRREL’S FAVORITE – again, not an official category but there definitely was a favorite here…
Mitch & Elizabeth (2yo) Davidson
Ely, MN
OBSERVATIONS
We had mostly team entries with one individual entry. Successful feeders not only had a space for food, but also took into account the food selection and open space for visiting birds.
For example, the winning feeders offered sunflower hearts rather than seed mixes or seeds still in the shells. With the sub-zero temps we’ve had this week, birds selected for a high-nutrient food that takes little energy to consume.
The birds also showed preference for feeders with larger, unenclosed platform areas.