Home › Archives for February 2012

Red-billed Queleas are the world's most numerous wild bird

You think your birds are eating you out of house and home, just be glad you’re not feeding the Red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea).  Native to bush, grasslands, and savannahs of sub-Saharan Africa this small finch is the most abundant bird on the planet today. Each day, queleas consume their weight in seeds from native...
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Most common winter hawks in Michigan

What hawks are in mid-Michigan in the winter? I was watching my feeder 2 days ago and a hawk swooped down and tried to snag a house finch. The finch took off and there was a wild chase and I don't think the hawk got him. I did not get a good look at the hawk as it happened very quickly.The most common neighborhood winter...
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Thanks to everyone who participated in the GBBC!

GBBC eNewsletterFebruary 27, 2012 ...
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Birds freeze or fly at the approach of a predator

I had a customer come in and tell me that the most common prey the hawks ate outside her office window were woodpeckers. While at my house the bird most often attacked is the Mourning Dove. Two birds, that go instinctively into defensive mode when a predator is around, but in completely opposite ways.Since woodpeckers...
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Little brown bird with red head and striped wings

Hello, I’m trying to identify little birds the size of goldfinches. They are little brown birds on my finch feeder that have red heads, black faces and well defined lines on the wings. I’ve never seen them before. Can you help? ~ Lansing, MIWhat you’ve described sounds like a Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea). They are...
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What do they mean by lifer birds?

What do people mean when they say they have spotted a lifer bird? ~ Lansing, MichiganSome bird watchers compile a list of every bird they see. Common birds at the feeders make the list first. Eventually a list of all the bird species they see and identify with absolute certainty in their lifetime is compiled. And there...
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Photo Share: Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapilla) by Donna DewhurstDid you miss anything on the Wild Birds Unlimited blog this week? Weekly Recap:  What are the advantages of the Peterson’s Bluebird House? http://bit.ly/zdxfH3 The Chemical-Free Lawn is Bird Friendly http://bit.ly/ymgT13 Why am I seeing bluebirds...
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What are the advantages of the Peterson’s Bluebird House?

With the approach of spring the Eastern Bluebirds are beginning to search actively for places to nest. If you live in the country, near an open field or around a golf course that has open spaces and trees, you have a very good chance of attracting a nesting pair of bluebirds to your property.Eastern Bluebirds are cavity...
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The Chemical-Free Lawn is Bird Friendly

After putting up different bird feeders last fall, I now have various kinds of birds visiting my backyard daily.  Is it safe to use weed killer and fertilizer on my lawn and flower gardens? Thanks, Raleigh, North Carolina According to the (USGS) National Wildlife Health Center, many birds die each year from landscape...
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Why am I seeing bluebirds and robins in the winter?

Hello, I have several bluebirds in my yard and I've never had them before!  Are they migratory?  Why are they here now?? I also had a robin yesterday! Kind of worried about them, should I be? ~ MarciaThere is no need to worry. Some America Robins migrate but if you look at the range map you’ll see that there...
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Why Wild Birds Unlimited has the best mealworms

I’ve had customers come in and tell me that the mealworms they buy at Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing, Michigan are far better than anywhere else and I just read a study that may explain why the birds prefer our worms.Birds choose food with highest nutrition. Such “nutritional wisdom” allows animals to make a diet...
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Fun Facts on the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

Red-shouldered Hawks belong to a group of hawks called “Buteos” or soaring hawks.  Buteo is the Latin name of the Common Buzzard. In the Old World, members of this genus are called "buzzards", but "hawk" is used in North America. The Red-shouldered Hawk is a medium-sized raptor with a chunky appearance, broad wings...
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What are the differences between the Wild Birds Unlimited seed blends?

Food is essential to provide birds with the energy, stamina and nutrition to endure the elements. An ample supply of fresh high-calorie foods is crucial to a bird's survival. Wild Birds Unlimited has regionally formulated seed blends to provide the most nutritious food for your birds. The first ingredient in our top...
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Photo share: Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus)

A trio of evening grosbeaks take a drink from a bird bath. ~ photo by George Gentry in Oregon Did you miss anything on the Wild Birds Unlimited blog this week? Weekly Recap:  Do birds have belly buttons? http://bit.ly/x7SVBl High quality bird feeders made in the USA http://bit.ly/zOuSOEHave you ever seen a black...
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Great Backyard Bird Count Begins

GBBC eNewsletter ...
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High quality bird feeders made in the USA

At Wild Birds Unlimited you can choose from a variety of the very best feeders. Most are made in America and have a lifetime guarantee.This week's focus is on Aspects’ Quick-Clean Nyjer Tube Feeders. They combine heavy die-cast metal caps and base with a clear UV stabilized polycarbonate tube that won't yellow with age...
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Have you ever seen a black chipmunk?

The black squirrel, a melanisticsubgroup of the common gray squirrel, is found all over mid-Michigan, but have you ever seen black chipmunk?The following is a video of a melanistic Eastern Chipmunk that showed up at one of the local nature trails in Canada. Related Articles:Black Squirrel History & Facts...
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I Heart Birds

I thought this was an appropriate love poem for St. Valentine's D...
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Do birds have belly buttons?

Stages in chick embryo developmentAll mammals have navels or belly buttons where the umbilical cord distributes nutrients between a mother and her fetus. After birth, the umbilical cord is cut and a scar develops on the abdomen where the hole closes. Humans have very obvious buttons. Other mammals like my cats have teeny,...
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