Birdfeeders

Q. I wish I could attract more hummingbirds to my hummingbird feeder. Any suggestions?

A. The two most important things you can do are to keep the hummingbird feeder clean and make sure to change the nectar often to keep it fresh. After that, keep in mind the hummingbirds are very territorial so putting up more hummingbird feeders will certainly attract more hummers! Add hummingbird feeders one at time and see what happens. They don’t need to be spaced more than a few feet apart, but having different kinds certainly adds interest to your yard.

Q. How can I keep bees and wasps away from my hummingbird feeder?

A. If bees and wasps are a problem, use a flat top hummingbird feeder. These are designed so the nectar isn’t right at the feeding port. The hummers can easily reach the nectar, but the bees and wasps cannot.

Q. How do I keep ants out of my hummingbird feeders?

A. The best solution I have found is the inexpensive “Trap-It” ant moat. It is simply a small plastic cup that is hung above a hummingbird feeder and filled with water. The ants can’t get to the feeder.

Owls are some of the most unique birds in the animal world, and one of the few nocturnal creatures that are well recognized by most people.  There’s nothing quite like listening to the sound of an owl at night.  While some people associate owls as being rare and exotic creatures, many owls are present in suburban and even some urban areas around the United States.  Owls have few natural predators, which has allowed them to adapt and survive despite changes to the environment due to humans.  You can find owls sleeping in trees during the day (if you’re lucky), and hunting for mice and other smaller creatures during the night hours.  You can even attract owls to your backyard with an owl house. 

An owl house is designed with a larger hole than your standard birdhouse, and provides a great location for an owl to sleep during the day and remain undisturbed.  It can be difficult to find a suitable tree to sleep in, so an owl house is a great place for owls to settle down.  You’ll love hearing the sound of an owl in your backyard. 

Hummingbird  feeders are so popular in the United States for several reasons. All species of hummers are fearless and pugnacious so easily approach hummingbird feeders hung close to a window. The nectar they love is easy to make and doesn’t leave a mess as bird seed can. Best of all, there are hummingbirds all over the United States. Ruby-throated hummers are quite common east of the Great Plains. The Broad-Tailed hummingbird commonly breeds in the Rockies. The Calliope is the smallest U.S. hummingbird and is common in the western mountains. The Anna’s hummingbird is the most common resident west of the Sierras. The Black-Chinned hummer is common in the western mountains and is the only North American hummer with a truly black throat. The Costa’s hummingbird is common in the Southwest deserts and the Allen’s is common only in coastal California. The Rufous is an abundant migrant throughout the western U.S. Wherever you live in the U.S., putting up a hummingbird feeder is quite likely to attract these entertaining birds.

This is certainly the time of year to spend time outdoors watching what birds are passing through your backyard. Be sure to have your bird houses cleaned and hung up, the tube bird feeders full of black oil sunflower seeds, and certainly have the oriole and hummingbird feeders clean and full of nectar. Also, bird baths should be full of clean water for even birds who don’t eat seed will stop for a drink and a splash. Many of these migratory birds are actually going back to where they were hatched to raise their own young. For example, a female broad-tailed hummingbird may have been hatched in a Colorado spruce nest in June, then fly to South America for the winter and in the spring, return to Colorado to raise her own family, often in the same stand of trees she came from. You never have to worry about birds staying too long because you are feeding them. They are all programmed to migrate when the amount of daylight decreases to a certain point in the fall and increases to a certain point in the spring.

During the spring and summer, Goldfinches show off their black wings, black tail and bright yellow bodies. Then in the fall, they molt their body feathers and appear to be a duller green. Goldfinches live throughout the U.S. and Southern Canada. They seem to spend most of their time in small flocks roaming around in search of food, which is mostly small seeds. During the winter months, the thistle bird feeders are the busiest feeders in the yard. With a shortage of natural seeds for food, the goldfinches spend lots of time pulling nyjer seed out of the thistle bird feeders. During spring and summer with an abundant supply of natural food, they will still come by but won’t eat up any where near as much seed as during the winter. Goldfinches also love to visit the bird baths. They flit in and out of the bird baths as well as hanging out near the thistle feeders.

The beauty of the male bluebird is really a joy to behold. During early spring, the males will escort the female around looking for a perfect nesting site. Soon a territory is established and the female begins building a nest with very little help from her mate. If you have a bluebird house in a fairly open area, you could be lucky enough to attract a nesting pair. It takes 4-5 days to build the nest. Then the female will lay 4 or 5 light blue eggs that only take 13 to 15 days to hatch. The male will bring food to his mate and young during the first few critical days of their lives. If you want to provide food to help attract bluebirds to your bluebird house, the best thing to can offer is Mealworms, either dried or fresh. Even though the parents will keep feeding them, the chicks can find their own food in about 2 weeks. Bluebirds often nest twice or sometimes even 3 times during a summer. Sometimes, you can even see the young from the first brood bringing food to their new siblings! Another key to keeping bluebirds coming to your yard is to offer a constant supply of clean water. Bird baths are always a key to successfully drawing all kinds of birds to your yard.

During the winter, butterflies have two choices - they can migrate south or hibernate. For those that choose to hibernate, they look for dark sheltered places like barns, behind the bark of trees or in butterfly boxes. They generally hibernate from late August or early September through to April or May. Even during the spring and summer months, butterflies will use the butterfly boxes as protection from predators. Among the more common species of hibernating butterflies found in the United States are mourning cloaks, queens, comma anglewings, red admirals, painted ladies and West Coast ladies. In warm weather, mount the butterfly boxes on a pole 3-4 feet off the ground, preferably near flowering plants. It is a good idea to put pine bark mulch or tree bark inside, standing up. During the winter, move the butterfly boxes to sheltered places that are protected from the wind.

If there are squirrels in your neighborhood, you probably know how quickly they can empty a bird feeder. There are a few tactics that discourage them, but the best defense is squirrel proof feeders. Most of these are a tube feeder with a metal cage around it. The cage keeps squirrels out while small birds such as finches and chickadees can move in and out. Other options can also be effective. If the feeder is mounted on a metal pole with a baffle on it, a squirrel cannot climb up, but be sure it is far enough away from tree branches, fences, etc. that can offer a perch to launch from to the feeder. Another effective measure is a large plastic dome hanging over a feeder. Also, remove the bottom spill tray from tube feeders to make it harder for a squirrel to hang on. There are also battery operated squirrel proof feeders that spin faster and  faster until the squirrel is thrown off.

When a sudden cold storm hits the north, suet bird feeders can be life savers for local birds. If snow is covering much of their food supply, a yard stocked with full suet feeders will be a busy place indeed. Even during spring, summer and fall, suet bird feeders are quite popular. During the warm summer months, either keep the suet feeders in the shade so the suet cakes don’t melt, or purchase the no-melt suet cakes. A real bonus to having year around suet feeders is watching the young birds when they first leave their nests. When the parents are regular visitors to suet bird feeders, the offspring will come for a visit as well. You may see young nuthatches, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, etc.

The most common sort of man-made nesting structure is a birdhouse. They can be inexpensive to buy and are the simplest way to attract nesting birds. Watching the process of courtship, nesting and raising a brood is fun and fascinating. Even people living in an apartment can provide a simple birdhouse. There is a great variety of birdhouses on the market today from simple to quite attractive. A durable, natural wood birdhouse will suite birds just fine, but many people prefer more ornate models that are quite attractive in a yard or garden. The most important feature to birds is the size of the entrance hole. It is important to know what kind of birds you are trying to attract and purchase a birdhouse that meets that species requirements.