Birdfeeders

The more we know about migration schedules in our area, the better prepared we will be to observe a variety of species in our yards. During migration times, it is of course important to keep tube feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds as this is the food of choice for a large variety of bird species, but also offering platform feeders and hopper feeders as well as hummingbird feeders is a good idea. The hordes of migrants arriving in the spring from tropical America begin to hit the Gulf coast and other southern borders by late March and usually peak in April. Peaks in the northern states and Canada are about a month later. This timing coincides with the increasing availability of insects. Generally, the trip back to winter grounds takes place on a more spread out schedule. Some species leave by midsummer while others may not head south until November although most are gone by late October. If we carefully observe these patterns in our own backyards, we can tailor the bird feeders we use and the foods we offer to the species we want to attract. During periods of high traffic, just tube feeders may not attract as many birds as you would like, so it is important to consider adding other types of feeders such as platform feeders to attract birds who feed at different levels.