Home › Archives for December 2010

How to Attract Bluebirds

What have you got to feed bluebirds in the winter? Katie ~ Holt, MII’ve been away. I usually feed bluebirds year-round. Will they come back? MB ~ East Lansing, MIFood for BluebirdsProviding food for bluebirds during the winter and early spring may increase their chances of survival in bad weather. And if you want to encourage...
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Where Bluebirds go in the Winter

My husband saw a blue robin-sized bird at the feeder. Do you know what it was? Karen ~ Bath, MII believe you saw an Eastern Bluebird. They can stay in mid-Michigan year round. Bluebirds usually gather in the woods after their nesting season is done. There they forage for fruits, nuts, and berries from shrubs,...
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What is white proso millet?

Image via WikipediaRipe head of white proso millet White proso millet is a small, round, cream colored seed about the size of the head of a pin. A lot of ground-feeding birds like millet. It’s a major ingredient in many wild bird seed mixes and desirable to many species of birds like doves, towhees, quail, bobwhite, tanagers,...
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Do Voles Hibernate?

Winter Tunnels The Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus is the most widespread vole in North America. About 5 inches, long counting their stubby tail, voles destroy many weeds especially weed grasses, recycle the nutrients held in the grass through their droppings, aerate and turn the soil through their digging activities,...
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Do Woodpeckers Eat Apples?

Image via WikipediaBaldwin apple also known as Woodpecker or Pecker apple for attracting birds Lots of birds like apples including most woodpeckers. And the trees like the birds right back because birds help to pollinate and spread the trees' seeds as well as patrol for insects.About 80 million...
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Where is Wild Birds Unlimited?

I found you by looking up wood duck boxes and was very impressed with your writing. I think you do a marvelous job. I've been sitting here at the computer for over an hour just reading. How do I order things? Monica - Wilton, NYJim Carpenter, owner of the first Wild Birds Unlimited in IndianaI want to thank everyone...
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European Starling Fun Facts

• The European Starling was introduced into North America when the "American Acclimatization Society" for European settlers released some 80-100 birds in Central Park (New York City) in 1890-91. The head of this particular organization, Eugene Scheiffelin, desired to introduce all birds ever mentioned in the works of William...
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“In all things of nature, there is something of the marvelous.” - Aristotle

Season Greetings from Wild Birds UnlimitedWith the holiday season here, we are setting our work aside for a moment to extend our sincere appreciation to the friends and customers who make our jobs so enjoyable. May your holidays be filled with family, friendship, and the magic of our world.Wishing you peace for the holidays.Wild...
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Feed the Birds for New Year Good Luck

To our friends…. The people of Scandinavia traditionallyfeed the birds on Christmas Day to ensuregood luck throughout the coming year.Spread seed on your doorstep Christmas Morning for New Year’s good luck! Store location:Wild Birds Unlimited2200 Coolidge Rd. Ste.17East Lansing, MI 48823Email: bloubird@gmail.comWeb: http://lansing.wbu.com/Blog:...
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Northern Flicker Roosts Alone in the Winter

Image via WikipediaHi, I'm not a bird watcher, and really don't know about birds. I have about 10 bird houses in my backyard and have had some finch feeders, that's it. My question is about a small bird that has been sleeping in the under side of our front porch awning. This is at least the second winter or maybe the third....
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Michigan DNRE asking drivers to watch out for bald eagles

Image via WikipediaThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Environment are warning Michigan drivers to use caution this holiday travel season and keep an eye out for bald eagles.Bald eagle mortality due to motor vehicle accidents is on the rise in Michigan. The U.S. Fish...
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Small Michigan Owl Visits Neighborhood

Hi, I found this owl on my front porch and this owl was so cool. Would you happen to know what type of owl this is? Thank you. MicheleOh how exciting! It looks like an Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio). They are found in nearly every habitat throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. These owls are...
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The Kirtland’s Warbler 2010 Population Study

Image via WikipediaMale Kirtland's WarblerPress release: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment released their annual survey information indicating the state’s population of the endangered Kirtland’s warbler remains steady.Biologists, researchers and volunteers in Michigan observed 1,733 singing males...
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Last Minute Gifts for Birdwatchers

Sarah, you’ve never steered me wrong. You know my husband is a bird fanatic and I want you to recommend something I can buy that every birdwatcher wants. I want something that you would use. ~NThat’s a tough question. Wild Birds Unlimited - East Lansing, MI store is loaded with fabulous items for birdwatchers and nature...
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Fun Facts About Juncos

Image via Wikipedia• Dark-eyed Juncos are often called “Snowbirds,” possibly due to the fact that they are more likely to visit feeding stations during snowy periods. Many people also believe their return from their northern breeding grounds foretells the return of cold and snowy weather. Another possible source of the...
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New Bird of Prey Dinosaur Named after Twin Sisters

Geminiraptor suarezarum, meaning “Twin grasper of the Suarezes” is a raptor-like dinosaur named in honor of twin sisters, Drs. Marina and Celina Suarez. They discovered the bones while helping paleontologist James Kirkland with a Utah Geological Survey as graduate students. It was an incomplete upper jaw that...
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Snow Cams in Michigan

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Can All Birds Learn to Talk Like Humans?

I have two budgies that have become surprisingly proficient talkers. They love to watch the birds outside on the window feeder and I was wondering, if the wild birds wanted, could they speak English.What a wonderfully scary question. Can you imagine coexisting with birds that speak the same language? Some people don’t...
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How Far Can Owls Turn Their Heads?

Most birds have eyes at each side of their head. They see a different scene with each eye. But an owl’s eyes are at the front of its head. The owl sees the same scene with both eyes, just as a human does. However, an owl cannot move its eyes in their sockets. In order to see what is beside or behind it, the owl turns its...
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How to Attract Cardinals

The Northern Cardinal is often the first bird to visit a feeder in the morning and the last to stop by and grab a bite at night. Recognized easily by the male’s bright red plumage, the cardinal has expanded its range greatly since the days of John James Audubon. Back then the bird was known only as a southern bird. Today,...
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Food & water from bird feeders can impact birds’ survival

The mild November and early December in mid-Michigan allowed birds to seek natural foods easily. Though it might seem strange to humans, wild birds prefer to forage over visiting feeders.Last night, however, the natural food sources may have become covered with snow or locked in ice. If this ice sticks around for 2 or...
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The Original Nutcracker

 Image via WikipediaWhite-breasted Nuthatch Nifty and Nimble Nuthatches! Nuthatches are are very easy backyard birds to identify. If you see a bird creeping downward on a tree, it’s a nuthatch. It’s the only species that can “walk down a tree.” It needs no tail support because it has incredibly strong feet!That...
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