Birdwatching: Look for the Out-of-Towners

 It's a new year, but that isn't the only thing new. You may have spotted a few new birds or "out-of-towners" that visit mid-Michigan only in the winter.

Dark-eyed Junco

Winter is a great time to look for uncommon bird species. Keep your feeders full and look for birds associated with "irruptions." When natural winter food supplies are scarce in Canada, numerous bird species fly to Michigan in search of food.

Pine Siskin

The most common irruptive birds are Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, Common Redpolls and Red-breasted Nuthatches. By offering the right food (in the right place), you can better your chances of attracting some of these birds.

Juncos

Lovers of millet, you can attract Dark-eyed Juncos to your yard by offering WBU No-Mess Blend in a ground feeder or hopper feeder. They're persistent foragers and have been known to burrow through snow in search of seeds.

Pine Siskins, Purple Finches & Common Redpolls
These "winter finches" are attracted to Finch Feeders filled with Nyjer® (thistle). You can also attract them to your Seed Tube Feeders by offering WBU No-Mess Blend.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Red-breasted Nuthatches
Red-breasted and White-breasted nuthatches are the most common visitors to feeders in the winter. They enjoy suet, sunflower seeds and nuts. Red-breasted Nuthatches usually visit mid-Michigan only in the winter when their favorite food, conifer seeds, is scarce in Canada.

As you can see, our feathered guests' tastes and preferences vary, so it's important to be prepared. Because before you know it, these out-of-towners will be just that - headed out of town. If you have any questions come in to our Wild Birds Unlimited store in East Lansing, MI for more information.

Source: WBU Nature News