Bird feeding is the activity of feeding wild birds, often by means of a bird feeder. With a recorded history dating to the 6th century, the feeding of wild birds has been encouraged and celebrated in the United Kingdom and United States, with it being the United States' second most popular hobby having National Bird-Feeding Month congressionally decreed in 1994. Various types of food are provided by various methods; certain combinations of food and method of feeding are known to attract certain bird species.