Birdfeeders

For the most part, I try to be tolerant of squirrels. I have set up a feeder just for them with corn which they love and it often keeps them pretty occupied. However, when a squirrel decides to get into a bird feeder, it can empty a large feeder in no time at all. Baffles can work if the bird feeder is far enough away from any jumping off points and also high enough off the ground. In my experience, these just seem to present a challenge and a squirrel will work on it until it figures out a way to get past the baffles. There are many styles of tube feeders with cages surrounding them. Small birds can get in, but squirrels cannot reach the seed. These are quite effective, but have a couple of drawbacks. First, larger birds cannot get through the grid, so many birds cannot use the feeder. Also many people don’t think they are very attractive. Many of the newer styles of caged squirrel proof bird feeders are quite attractive however. There are now many models of squirrel proof feeders that have weighted perches. These are an excellent deterrent. Most have an option that allows you to adjust the tension of the springs so you deter large birds as well. As soon as a squirrel or large bird gets on the perch, the feeding ports close. The most entertaining squirrel proof bird feeders twirl with weight. When a squirrel jumps on this feeder, it begins to spin. Eventually, the squirrel gets dizzy and jumps off. These are very effective and quite entertaining for people to watch.

The Orioles are now working their way north from their winter locations in Central and South America. Their arrival in our backyard is always a highlight of spring. Last year I spotted the first Oriole at our Oriole bird feeder on March 23, so I got out the oriole feeder this last weekend, cleaned it up, filled it and have it hanging off the deck. Now I am anxiously watching for the first beautiful Oriole. I know it could be a week or two before they get here, but now I am ready! While I was at it, I also gave the hummingbird feeder a good scrub and filled it with fresh nectar as well. We have a large sugar bowl on the counter with a quarter cup scoop in it, so making nectar is a snap. I just use a 2 cup measuring cup, fill it with clean water and add 2 scoops of sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and fill the oriole bird feeder or the hummingbird feeder. I find 2 cups of nectar is a good amount. It lasts for a few days, but not so long that mold is encouraged to grow.

The term sparrows covers a large group of small birds that can be quite difficult to identify by species for many of them look like “little brown birds”. They all have short, cone-shaped beaks that are perfect for cracking open seeds. This group includes Towhees, Juncos and Longspurs that are easier to identify, but for others, you need to closely observe colors and patterns. All of these birds can be regularly seen scratching at the ground looking for seeds, so short legged platform bird feeders are perfect to attract them. They usually are seen in flocks so they can make your yard a busy place. Millet and black oil sunflower seeds are their favorites, so we use these 2 seeds in our platform bird feeder. We often also add fruit, clean crushed egg shells and white bread crumbs so there is something for everyone. This platform feeder will also attract mourning doves, quail and other ground feeders.

As we are cleaning our bird feeders and preparing for the spring arrivals, I started shopping for a new supply of bird seed. We have one tube bird feeder that is filled with only black oil sunflower seeds for that is the seed that is always the most popular. However, our other tube bird feeder I like to use a wild bird seed mix. A local store was advertising a really good price on a wild bird seed mix, so I went to check it out. Sure, it was a good price, but most of it would have landed on the ground. Be very careful when buying these mixes. Be sure to get a mix with quality birdseed with a minimum of filler seeds. Birds will usually just toss aside milo, wheat and most of the dark colored millets. I’m still finding that the best way to have a mix is to buy the individual seeds and mix it yourself. I use sunflower chips, white millet, peanut pieces, safflower and cracked corn. With this mix, there is a minimum of waste. If you use only seeds that have had the hulls removed, the seeds cannot germinate in your yard, but these are more expensive. The pictured tube bird feeder is a new Quick Clean Big Tube by Aspects that is simple to keep clean.

Hopper bird feeders have a lot of advantages over other types of feeders. Generally, they hold more seed than tube feeders or platform feeders and they keep the seed dry and fresh. The most common type of hopper bird feeder is generally shaped like a house. The seed is poured into a center trough and flows out the bottom into a feeding tray. They can be either be hung or pole mounted and usually provide a larger perching area to include not only small birds, but also larger species such as Cardinals. Some have suet cages mounted on the ends and many are made of recycled plastic. These feeders are so durable that they come with a lifetime guarantee. They also help to keep these plastics out of our landfills!

Tube bird feeders are a simple way to feed birds in your yard. The clear tube allows you to easily see when the seed is running out and these feeders are generally easy to clean. Because tube feeders usually have smaller perching areas, they generally attract small birds such as chickadees, finches, titmice and nuthatches. There are now a few tube bird feeders made with spiral perches. This allows more birds to perch at a time and they will also accommodate larger birds. This type of tube feeder is perfect for attracting Cardinals and woodpeckers. A plastic seed tray can be added that will catch seed to keep the yard cleaner and will also allow more perching area.

Spring is coming soon and that means the return of hummingbirds. It’s about time to clean up or replace our hummingbird feeders so we are ready to greet the hummers! In the meantime, here are some fun hummingbird facts. They beat their wings an average of 78 times per second, but during a dive, their wings can beat up to 200 times per second! They take about 250 breaths per minute and their hearts beat about 1260 times per minute. No wonder they love our hummingbird feeders for they comsume half their body weight in food every day. Think about how much that would be for us! A hummingbird’s average life span is 3-5 years.

Birds have many physical characteristics that help to keep them warm in the cold winter months. Their feathers provide remarkable insulation and some species even grow extra feathers for extra winter protection. The oil that coats birds’ feathers provides insulation as well as waterproofing. All birds legs and feet are covered with scales that minimize heat loss. They can further reduce heat loss by constricting blood flow to their extremities. Many birds can gorge during the fall to build up fat reserves for the winter. Birds have also developed behaviors to help keep them warm. We have all watched birds sit and fluff out their feathers. This creates air pockets that add additional insulation from the cold. In addition, we see them standing on one leg or crouched low to cover both legs to shield them from the cold. So yes, birds have lots of ways to help protect themselves from the cold, but during frigid temperatures, many birds still succumb. During winters as bad as this one has been, bird mortality can be very high so we all must do what we can to help our backyard birds survive. The most important thing is to consistently offer high fat foods such as black oil sunflower seeds, suet, scraps and whatever other high fat foods you can offer to give birds plenty of energy to generate body heat. It is especially important to have all birdfeeders full consistently but especially early in the morning and just before dusk. Our hanging tube feeders are busiest at dawn when birds are in need of lots of food after a cold night. I can always tell when either a storm is coming or the night is going to especially cold, for the hanging tube feeders, platform feeders and suet feeders are especially busy starting in the early afternoon as the local birds are filling up before dark. In areas that are covered in snow, liquid water is especially important to help birds survive. Melting snow themselves uses up too much precious energy.

We have watched a couple of acorn woodpeckers in the big oak tree behind our house for a year or more, but have only occasionally had them visit a hanging tube feeder or a suet feeder. A couple of months ago we added a No-No hanging bird feeder which holds 2.5 pounds of black oil sunflower seeds. During these cold winter months, it adds a food source for our hungry birds. We have been thrilled that the acorn woodpeckers love this feeder! They have been visiting it regularly, grabbing a seed, flying back to a tree, then back down for another seed. We have a hanging platform feeder nearby and now they are spending time on it as well. The No-No hanging bird feeder is also attracting jays so the hanging tube feeder is much more available to the smaller birds. We are now using the hanging platform feeder for millet, sunflower seeds, bread crumbs and whatever leftovers we think the birds will like. The acorn woodpeckers are a really enjoyable addition to our yard.

I know I’m thinking about feeding the hatchlings way too early, but I am sooooo ready for spring! I’ve had enough of winter and am looking forward to spring courting, nest building and the arrival of hatchlings. I think this year I am going to add a second hanging platform feeder to our yard just for offering foods from the kitchen. We have a year around hanging platform feeder that we keep stocked with assorted seed, sometimes eggshells or left over rice or pasta. However, when the chicks are hatched in nearby nests, there is a greater demand for soft foods and having a separate hanging platform feeder might be easier and less messy. I’m planning on keeping the seed offerings in the permanent platform feeder and using the second one to offer “baby food” such as soft bread crumbs, eggs, either hard scrambled or mashed up hard boiled, even canned dog or cat food. Lots of kitchen leftovers are appreciated at this time such as cottage cheese, soft cooked peas, lentils, pasta or rice, even finely chopped up meat. Soft bananas, apples and other fruits will also be taken.