Home › Archives for May 2011

How do birds drink?

Image via WikipediaIf you have a bird bath I’m sure you’ve noticed a lot more activity. I was backyard birdwatching last night when a lone dove sat in the middle of the bath, and love them or hate them, Mourning Doves have presence. My dove was just sitting there with its eyes closed and his crop bulging visibly with the...
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Do birds sweat?

We’ve had a couple days without rain in mid-Michigan but now it’s hot! Yesterday I saw a couple birds with open bills. An open mouth is one sign that a bird might be overheating and working to lower its body temperature. Birds lack sweat glands, so they pant like dogs instead of sweat like people. By opening its mouth...
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What did the military learn from birds?

Did you know birdwatchers made the military more effective? The study of wild birds’ many survival techniques has been integral to the establishment of many military improvements. Birds taught the military about camouflage - The development of camouflage was the result of studying birds and copying how they camouflaged...
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Fun Facts about Woodpeckers

- The contrasting black and white pattern found on the backs of many woodpeckers helps to conceal them from predators. Known as disruptive coloration, this sharp contrast in colors helps to break-up and conceal the shape and outline of a woodpecker as it climbs the side of a tree. - Woodpeckers are among a very few birds...
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Why won’t the finches come to my feeder?

Why did my finches leave my feeder? - Tipton, Indiana There is no one reason you don't have finches. First make sure your Nyjer seed is fresh. One way to do this is to pinch the seed with your fingernails and see if any oil comes out. The finches use their bills to twist the seed and sip the oil and then drop the shell....
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Close-up of Baltimore Oriole

I grabbed my camera as soon as I heard Dolly give her little "bird call". I stood right in front of the window at the Wild Birds Unlimited store in East Lansing and took a video of her favorite visitor, the Baltimore Oriole. Miss Baby Doll usually sits up high on top of the candle display to watch her hummingbird and oriole...
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Do bats in Michigan drink hummingbird food?

Bats comprise one-fourth of the world's 4,000 species of mammals. Forty-three bat species are currently found in the United States. Of the 43 species of bats that live in the U.S., nine insect-eating bat species live in Michigan. All are nocturnal (active at night), and feed nearly exclusively on flying insects, including...
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How to prevent mold from taking over your hummingbird feeder

Mold is very bad in hummingbird feeders. Remember to change the nectar in your feeder every 2-4 days, regardless of whether the nectar has been used. In hot, humid weather you might even have to change the nectar every other day.I find the more often I change the nectar the easier it is to maintain the feeder. You...
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Intermittent Banding

9 - 21 MayI was only able to get in five days of banding in the past two weeks due to high winds and/or rain. It has been a really tough spring this season compared to the glorious days of last year at this time. Unfortunately, this weather is a bit more typical for spring on Cape Cod. I attempted to band on May 9th but...
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What to do when you find a baby bird

"Good parents give their children Roots and Wings." --Jonas SalkOur neighbors behind the East Lansing Wild Birds Unlimited store wanted me to bring in and care for a baby robin they spotted in their front yard. I walked out with them and saw the baby, pointed out the parents present in the apple tree nearby and told them...
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What is the second most popular state bird?

 Image via WikipediaWestern Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) You might know that the Northern Cardinal is the most popular state bird. The cardinal was chosen to represent seven states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia). According to Wikipedia “The selection of state birds...
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Chandaka Dampara Wildlife Sanctuary

Satellite picture below taken from Google Earth shows Chandaka Sanctuary. Growing population and city limits is inevitable. At least in the case of other smaller sanctuaries present in the state , the pressure of growing city limit is not there. But Chandaka Sanctuary is not lucky that way. Concrete jungle of Bhubaneswar...
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How many woodpeckers are in Michigan?

There are eight woodpeckers found in Michigan. 1. Downy Woodpecker - At about 6 inches, it’s smallest woodpecker in North America and the most frequent visitor to backyard feeders year-round. They have a white belly and back and their black wings have white bars. The males have a red patch on the back of the head. It’s...
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Barn Swallow Babies

Image via WikipediaStarving Three hungry Barn Swallow chicks in Humber Bay Park East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. - photos by Matt MacGillivrayImage via Wikipe...
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