Home › Archives for April 2012

Photo Share: Strange visitor at the high-perch hummingbird feeder

Two of birdwatchers’ favorite birds, hummingbirds and orioles, travel thousands of miles in the spring to reach nesting grounds in the north. They can be attracted immediately to feeders with nectar (and fruit and jelly for orioles), making May a sweet month to feed the birds.It only takes between 30 to 50 minutes for...
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How many mealworms do bluebirds eat a day?

Bluebirds are primarily insect eaters in the spring and summer. When their babies hatch bluebirds know instinctively that mealworms are too big for newly hatched babies. They start them out with tiny bugs for their young. While the parent bird may appreciate your easy mealworm breakfast during a stressful time, they...
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Black bird with white back

Most backyard bird watchers aren’t familiar with the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). The female looks like a large sparrow while the male is the only American bird that is black underneath and white on the back for a showy spring breeding display. They are one of the few songbirds that undergo two complete...
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In what kind of trees do hummingbirds nest?

I love your blog and send out posts on twitter and facebook. I try to support Michigan businesses. What kind of trees/shrubs do hummingbirds nest in here in Michigan? I want to make sure I have food and a place for them to live when they visit. ~ MaryThere is no particular tree species in which hummingbirds prefer to nest....
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Best Bird feeder or plant holder pole system

The Advanced Pole System - Looks Great, Stays Straight! Wild Birds Unlimited's patented Advanced Pole System (APS) is comprised of interchangeable hardware pieces, that lets you add or subtract bird feeders, birdhouses and other bird feeding accessories, giving you the ability to create and customize your bird feeding...
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Who is Audubon and how did his name become synonymous with birds?

Happy Birdday Mr. Audubon!Despite some errors in field observations, John James Audubon made a significant contribution to the understanding of bird anatomy and behavior through his field notes and art.Audubon was named Jean Rabin on the day of his birth on April 26, 1785 in the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti)....
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Why the color on a hummingbirds’ throat flashes

As the hummingbirds begin to visit our feeders more frequently you may notice the bright colors that flash on the male Ruby-throated hummingbirds’ neck. The patch of colored feathers found on the throat of many male hummingbirds is called a gorget. The term is derived from the gorget used in military armor to protect the...
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Woodpeckers at the nectar feeder

Dear Sarah, I just looked out my kitchen window a few minutes ago to discover a Downy Woodpecker drinking/sipping from the hummingbird feeder, and not from the water in the ant moat as the chickadees have done, but from the ports covering the sugar water.  He/she took several sips, not enough time to get my camera...
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Watch now to check on Red-tailed Hawk chicks!

 Big Red looks on as an egg begins to hatch, April 22, 1:42 p.m. Cornell Lab eNews FlashApril 23, 2012Watch now to...
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Nectar: Pure and Simple

Hummingbird facts - the average hummingbird found in North America tips the scales at around three grams and its brain only makes up about 4% of its body weight.That means that their BB sized brain weighs in at a very minuscule 0.12 grams!So, with such a tiny amount of brain power, just how do they remember a thousand...
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New birds to look for in the spring

A lot of people ask me in the spring, “Have you seen any new birds?” One of the fun aspects of bird feeding is that you never know who might show up in your yard. Some birds people are excited to see as the weather warms are the hummingbirds, orioles, bluebirds, robins and wrens.I’m always excited to see the White-crowned...
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What seeds to feed birds in the summer

Best Bird SeedFor seed eating birds in Michigan studies indicate that Black-Oil Sunflower, Fine and Medium Sunflower Chips, Peanuts, White Proso Millet, Safflower, and Nyjer® Thistle are among the most preferred seed types. At the East Lansing Wild Birds Unlimited store, customers’ and birds’ preference by far is WBU...
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Photo Share: Our new House Finch friends

Hello! These little House Finches are four and five days old in this photo, having taken up residence just outside our front door in our Westside neighborhood house.  It's remarkable how much they change each day - we're feeling privileged to be able to watch them grow up. Thanks for your terrific blog! SidThank you...
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Do I really need a hummingbird swing?

You don’t need a hummingbird swing to attract hummingbirds to your yard but they are so adorable that they have been flying off the shelves. And they make great gifts!What are hummingbird swings?Hummingbirds hover and hum around feeders and flowers about 20% of the time. The rest of the time they are perched on twigs and...
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Does Wild Birds Unlimited carry bat houses?

Wild Birds Unlimited East Lansing, Michigan has some really nice functional bat, songbird, duck, owl, woodpecker and squirrel houses made out of cedar. They are not only made in America but are actually made in Michigan. Bat boxes should be hung at least 15’ above the ground-- the higher, the better and houses mounted...
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Male bluebird courtship stalled

I live just north of Atlanta GA and last year raised my first bluebirds. It is now mid-April and a single male has been doing two things for the last week. First, he flies up and down on a window each morning and secondly, sits all day on or beside a bird feeder on my deck. Is he waiting for his mate - or any mate? Thanks,...
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Peregrine Falcons Nest in Lansing, Michigan

In the 1950s and 1960s Peregrine Falcon populations in Michigan collapsed. Pesticides like DDT caused thin shells on eggs and were easily broken. The birds became a federally endangered species in 1970 and DDT was banned in the U.S. in 1973. Captive breeding programs were set up to increase the birds’ numbers and nesting...
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Tiny sparrow singing

We have the door open today at Wild Birds Unlimited in East Lansing and I'm listening to a lot of beautiful songs. Today the star performer seems to be the Chipping Sparrow. Now I can hear some of you saying "all sparrows are alike." But the Chipping Sparrow is so cute I insist you get to know him!The Chipping Sparrow...
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Stay-at-home and vacation

If the price of gas is making you think twice about a trip to a National Wildlife Refuge remember that you can discover a refuge in your own backyard. To invite more birds to your yard you can set up a basic bird feeder, bird bath, or bird house. Michigan has over 400 species of birds. A few of the most common birds seen...
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Why it is called pigeon-toed

Pigeon toe is a condition where the toes point inward when walking. It’s very common in children under two years old. When we had this unusual visitor earlier in the week I took a couple snapshots. I noticed that in fact this pigeon’s toes do turn inward.If you watch the birds at your feeding station you will see that...
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Cute Cardinal Feeder

We just received a shipment of some darling little hopper feeders that are good for beginning birdwatchers or for people that have a spot for a good small feeder. The double perch system makes them perfect to feed cardinals or tiny finches.Made in the USA, these well designed feeders have curved sides to view birds easily,...
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What is pollen?

Scanning electron microscope image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), prairie hollyhock (Sidalcea malviflora), oriental lily (Lilium auratum), evening primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis).I’ve never had a problem...
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